What do a veteran maintenance professional and a tween girl have in common? If she is a fan of SciGirls, they share a passion for science, technology, engineering and math.
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, SciGirls, a weekly television show on PBS, helps girls of all ages realize the value of education, specifically STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). In each half-hour episode, animated host Izzie and her best friend Jake face obstacles that must be solved using the principles of STEM. Izzie then calls on real-life SciGirls who use their knowledge to save the day.
Girls can further interact with the show by visiting the SciGirls Web site. According to PBS, at the beginning of each episode, television viewers follow Izzie onto the Web site as she picks a group of SciGirls whose project she thinks can help her conquer her own challenge. She launches the video and follows the SciGirls' live-action story, learning as she goes.
This safe, education-based Web site offers many of the features of Facebook and other social networks. Users can connect with fellow fans, create personal profiles, share STEM-related projects and watch episodes. The site even offers resources for teachers and parents.