PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Local grade-school girls had a chance to learn more about a future in STEM on Saturday.
Butterfly Village, a nonprofit that works to support and empower women, hosted its fifth annual "Summer Stem Experience: Thriving in a Digital Community."
The program was hosted at Tidewater Community College's Portsmouth Campus, and was open to fifth through twelfth graders. It highlighted different careers in science, technology, engineering and math from a digital lens.
Attendees had the opportunity to learn more about YouTube content creation, digital art and other skills, according to a social media post. There was also time dedicated to networking with industry professionals and hearing about different career paths they've taken.
According to the organization, "the global economy has been increasingly driven by technology and innovation," and it helps to "have a foundation in STEM subjects to be competitive in the job market."
Those who attended got to take home a STEM activity, a STEM book and some free swag from Butterfly Village.
The organization hosts several programs to engage women looking to further their STEM education. According to the website, Butterfly Village uses a holistic approach to help women break the cycles of poverty, teen pregnancy and domestic abuse.