MILLION GIRLS MOONSHOT: A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO CLOSE THE GENDER GAP IN STEM

Just as the original moonshots of the 1960s and ’70s united the nation behind a common goal and dramatically advanced scientific achievement, the Million Girls Moonshot aims to create a national movement to change the trajectory of women and girls in STEM. 

The Intel Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation have joined STEM Next Opportunity Fund and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation to launch the Million Girls Moonshot. The effort is designed to engage 1 million school-age girls in the United States in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning opportunities over the next five years. The organizations will provide grant funding and in-kind resources to Mott-funded afterschool networks in all 50 states to increase access to hands-on, immersive STEM learning experiences.

Learn how WYEN is putting the Moonshot to work in Wyoming below!

Douglas Student Serves on 2025 Flight Crew

Ellie Tomlinson, an 8th grade student and member of the Boys & Girls Club of Douglas, has been selected among 77 students across the nation to represent Wyoming in this year’s Flight Crew, a national youth ambassador program for teens in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

The Flight Crew is a program of STEM Next Opportunity Fund, a national nonprofit working to expand high-quality STEM learning through afterschool and summer programs. It helps youth build leadership skills and raise awareness about the importance of STEM beyond the classroom by amplifying their voices in local communities and on state and national platforms.

MILLION GIRLS MOONSHOT Resource Kits

The Afterschool Alliance compiles Million Girls Moonshot resources for programs. Explore Booster Packs, networking opportunities, and quality improvement opportunities. There are also resources for programs or families who would like to explore hands-on STEAM activities!

MILLION GIRLS MOONSHOT AND A PATHWAY TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY

The Million Girls Moonshot supports the efforts of the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, inspiring the next generation of innovators and helping girls gain skills that unlock pathways to self-sufficiency.

SUMMER STEM Mentors

The Summer STEM Mentors is an innovative program for Wyoming undergraduate students working with youth in their hometowns during the summer. Mentors build their professional networks while receiving in-depth training which helps them to foster mentorship and leadership skills while empowering them to deliver engaging activities that make STEM exciting and accessible for kids. The third cohort launched in the spring of 2025.

MAKEHER Scholar PROGRAM

WYEN, the Coe Student Innovation Center, and Wyoming 4-H launched the MakeHER Scholar program in the autumn of 2020 to support participants interested in growing skills in real world STEM through making experiences, equitable practices, and family engagement. Two cohorts with representatives across Wyoming completed the Million Girls Moonshot-inspired trainings.

Wyoming Science Initiative

Karagh Brummond, an Assistant Instructional Professor in the Honors College, hosts the Wyoming Science Initiative. One of their programs is the Science Roadshow where they travel to schools and afterschool programs to engage young people in STEM activities. For example, they traveled to Riverton and explored the science behind phytoremediation proposed for the old Riverton landfill site

According to the Million Girl Moonshot, one of the most effective ways to encourage youth to persist in STEAM learning is to introduce them to diverse role models and mentors. Exposure to role models to whom they are able to relate, by gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status and location can broaden youth — and especially girls’ — perceptions of STEAM careers. These mentors can also dispel stereotypes about who “belongs” in STEAM fields.

In the spring of 2022, the Wyoming Science Initiative hosted a series of Teen Science Café events in Laramie. Teen Science Café out-of-school programs are a free, fun way for teens to explore the big advances in science and technology affecting their lives. Teens and STEM experts engage in lively conversations and activities to explore a topic deeply.

COWGIRLS in STEM

Ashleigh Pilkerton, a doctoral student in the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in the Department of Zoology and Physiology, is leading COWGIRLS in STEM (Computational Outreach for Wyoming Girls in Science Technology and Math). The innovative computer science experience is for afterschool programs serving young people in early middle school across the state. It will work to revolutionize how women experience STEM by facilitating interactive learning in female-led environments and bridging the STEM gap through relationships. The multifaceted, modular program features three active learning curriculum bundles: computational thinking, programming, and robotics. Video lessons will be paired with complimentary lesson plans and associated activity equipment.  Near-peer female mentors will facilitate the lesson plans and allow students to interact with female role models both in the virtual lessons and during hands on activities. 

Leap into Science

Leap into Science is a national program with a mission to integrate open-ended science activities with children’s books and literacy efforts in libraries, museums, and out-of-school time programs. LiS was developed by The Franklin Institute Science Museum with the National Girls Collaborative Project.

Wyoming’s Leap into Science leadership team includes WYEN Director Michelle Sullivan, along with Wyoming State Library School Library Consultant Paige Bredenkamp and Wyoming Alliance for Environmental Education Executive Director Susan McGuire. 

Mission: We bridge the gap between Wyoming’s out-of-school programs and the communities they uplift, fueling them with resources, support and opportunities that inspire lifelong learning, growth and connection.

WYOMING ENRICHMENT NETWORK

1472 N. 5th Street, Suite 201
Laramie, WY 82072
Phone: 307-721-8300

Cultivating Community and Growing Leaders 

Today we join the National Summer Learning Association to celebrate the power of Community & Leadership. Learning happens everywhere and young people thrive when they feel a sense of belonging and purpose. That’s why the Wyoming Enrichment Network supports programs and partnerships that build strong relationships and create meaningful leadership opportunities across the state. When we invest in the people and places that help youth grow, we help build a brighter future for all of Wyoming. 

Why is Community & Leadership Important?

Research from the Afterschool Alliance shows that when youth are given authentic opportunities to lead, they gain confidence, build communication skills, and deepen their sense of purpose. Near-peer mentorship is especially powerful. As STEM Next says, “STEM confidence is contagious." When youth see someone just a step ahead, they’re more likely to take that step themselves. 

Leadership in Action Across Wyoming

Wyoming 4-H helps youth explore leadership and civic engagement in fun, hands-on ways. At this year’s Showcase Showdown in Laramie, young people from across the state took part in contests, workshops, and tours—including a stick horse engineering challenge that brought together creativity, teamwork, and lots of laughs. Explore Wyoming 4-H Leadership & Civic Engagement>>  

COWGIRLS in STEM inspires youth to engage with STEM across Wyoming. At their Cheyenne camp this summer, young people worked in teams to imagine AI-powered robots that could help them in their daily lives—an activity that sparked both innovation and connection. Learn more about COWGIRLS in STEM>>

Learning Through Mentorship

At WYEN, we’re proud to support programs like the Summer STEM Fellowship and our High School Fellowship pilot with the Big Horn Basin Boost Program. These efforts empower students—from high schoolers to college undergrads—to design and lead hands-on learning experiences for younger youth in their communities. 

Nicole Porter, a graduate student in counseling at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, continues to apply what she learned as a Summer STEM Fellow and mentor. One key takeaway? The value of “volleyball conversations” that keep ideas moving and invite many voices. “It’s something I still use today,” she says. 

Spotlight: Download the ACRES STEM Facilitation and Learning Models. This simple three-page guide offers excellent ways to think about leading discussions in STEM. But it’s great for any subject! Click here.

When Nicole asked current Fellows what they love most about working with kids, the answers were heartfelt: Ashley and Jada spoke about relationship-building. Aidyn shared the joy of being outdoors and helping kids be themselves. Mia enjoys teaching STEM. Allison loves gardening with young people. Lauren appreciates seeing kids from the YES House unwind and connect. And Maisie? “They think out loud. No filter. It’s real.” 

Nicole Porter, a 2023 Summer STEM Fellow Alum: “I get as much out of this work as the kids do. I learn so much about myself through working with young people—and that’s a beautiful thing.”

The Big Horn Basin Boost Program is helping high school students become role models. Through a WYEN pilot project, high schoolers designed and led weeklong mini-camps for middle schoolers. They choose topics based on their own interests and career goals. One of the participants was John, a sophomore with interests in theater, the military, and video games. He wanted to focus his mini-camp on ways that gaming can foster friendship and teamwork. WYEN connected him with a professional game designer and together they discussed career pathways and strategies to engage middle schoolers through gaming. 

Try This! Activities for Programs and Families

Learn more about Youth Voice! The Afterschool Alliance Youth Voice Toolkit can help you explore the spectrum of youth voice work and tools and examples from partners at each level of youth involvement and best practices. Mizzen’s Ten Tips for Amplifying Youth Voice can help lead to more engaging and effective programs.

SPOTLIGHT: Get To Know You and Establish Group Norms is a 30-minute downloadable activity from the Search Institute designed to build trust between group members by exploring what members have in common and what makes them unique. This activity was popular with the Summer STEM Fellows! Click here.

Dig into the Leadership and Civic Engagement modules from Wyoming 4-H. The invite young people to "get started with a foundation in leadership that you can build upon over a lifetime!"

Learning to Give’s series “Open Doors to Your Community,” helps young people learn about the purpose of public safety while meeting people involved in their community. They have tips for visiting a fire station, a police station, and more! Each guide is a virtual door that leads young people to an actual door with ideas for engagement.   

Build a fort with WY Quality Counts and help young people learn practice collaboration. The instructions note that reflection can help develop those skills: “Talk to them about how they feel working with another person. Did it make them happy? Did they have fun?" The instructions are for younger kids, but the lesson could easily be adapted.

Keep Learning!

Want to see more? Visit wyoenrichmentnetwork.org/summer-sparks to explore other stories. Share your own summer learning experiences using #SummerLearningWeek and #ThriveBeyondTheBell.