The Sally Ride Science Club, dedicated to supporting girls’ interest in math, science, and technology, today announced that it will host its first Washington, D.C. area community science festival on Saturday, May 11. The festival, specifically designed for middle school girls, will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (registration begins at 8:00 a.m.), on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University. Parents and teachers are welcome to attend.

“Studies show that in elementary school, roughly the same amount of girls and boys are interested in science and math. But beginning around the sixth-grade, more girls than boys drift away from these subjects,” said Sally K. Ride, Ph.D., former astronaut and Founder, President and CEO of Imaginary Lines, Inc. “We created the Sally Ride Science Club to support the large numbers of girls who are interested in technical fields by connecting them to each other, to female role models and to their own source of engaging content and activities. Our community science festivals provide a way for these connections to be made on a personal level.”

The Sally Ride Science Club works in partnership with colleges and universities, girls’ and women’s organizations, schools, businesses, and existing local networks of women in science and technology to coordinate each community festival. The National Capital festival will be keynoted by Dr. Ride and will feature Discovery Workshops for girls led by local role models (with separate adult track workshops) and a festive Street Fair. The $15 advance registration fee ($20 the day of the event) includes full participation in the festival, materials, souvenirs, a snack and lunch.

Sally Ride Science Club’s National Capital Science Festival Highlights:

  • Sally Ride describing her experiences in space
  • 23 hands-on, creative and fun science, math and tech-related Discovery Workshops for girls including: “Is California Sinking into the Ocean?” (Veridian); “Engineering Sleuths” (Hewlett Packard); Engineering Dos and Don’ts” (IBM); “The Science and Women Behind the Weather” (The Weather Channel); and “A Place in Space” (NASA)
  • Helpful workshops for parents and educators such as: “We’ve Come a Long Way … or Have We?: A Look at Gender Equality” and “Hands-On Family Science”
  • Street Fair full of fun and excitement with science demonstrations, entertainment, free stuff and the opportunity to meet Sally Ride

The National Capital Science Festival is organized by the Sally Ride Science Club, and is presented in association with George Mason University. The festival’s lead sponsor is Veridian, a leading provider of information-based systems, integrated solutions and services to the U.S. government. Other major sponsors of the event include: Cox Communications, Inc., Revolutionizing the Way Kids Learn™; Hewlett-Packard Company; IBM; The Weather Channel, Inc.; Delta Connection® and Stellar Solutions, Inc. The Sally Ride Science Club’s national sponsor is International Rectifier, IR® (NYSE:IRF), a world leader in power management.

Sally Ride Science Club Festivals are currently being planned for the 2002/2003 school year. The local science festivals will incorporate each community’s own resources and context to encourage girls to Reach for the Stars!

Sally Ride Science Club™

The Sally Ride Science Club is operated by Imaginary Lines, Inc., a company founded by former astronaut Sally Ride to provide support for the large numbers of girls and young women who are, or might become, interested in science, math, engineering, and technology.

The national Club was created to keep girls engaged in science adventures by connecting them to people, information, and attitudes that will nurture their relationship with science at a critical time in their lives. It is open to upper elementary and middle school girls across the country, and actively promotes membership from diverse groups of girls.

For more information on Sally Ride Science Club Festivals and festival registration, visit www.SallyRideFestivals.com. For information on Imaginary Lines and the Sally Ride Science Club, visit www.ImaginaryLinesInc.com.

George Mason University
George Mason University is a distributed university with campuses in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William, each with a distinctive academic focus that plays a critical role in the economy of its region. It offers 124 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and boasts a total enrollment of approximately 25,000 students.

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CONTACT: Toni DiMartino, 858/638-0960, tonidimartino@hotmail.com