Happy Thanksgiving!

We’re going to stay out of your packed inbox on Black Friday this week, and spend some time eating turkey, catching up with family, and following the OpenAI drama. 🍿

Catch ya next Tuesday!

How to help your daughter get started in STEM

In 1995, only 37% of computer scientists were women.

And according to Girls Who Code, that percentage is declining:

Now, more than ever, we need women in STEM — but not just for equity reasons.

A McKinsey Global Institute report found that $12 trillion (that’s trillion with a “t”) could be added to global GDP by 2025 just by advancing women’s equality alone. 

Yeah, I’d say it’s a pretty big deal. 💰

So how do we turn that curve around and help girls get excited — and stay excited — about STEM fields?

Well, like most things, it all starts at home: 👇

Everyone should learn STEM basics.

The answer, of course, isn’t to force girls into STEM.

That said, every child should learn the basics of technology and mathematics.

“STEM is like learning to read and write,” says Maxim Cramer, founder and CEO of MENNENIA, which helps female founders eradicate tech barriers.

🌐 Learning STEM skills early on helps kids navigate our tech-centered world. 

But it also makes it easier for them to get involved in STEM later on.

BETA Camp alum, Diya Kalia, who spoke before the United Nations about her experience as a girl in STEM, agrees:

“I think that signing kids up and exposing them to STEM at a young age is really important because then it can help develop their confidence.”

💭 If your kid has some coding experience under their belt, they'll be less afraid to sign up for a coding class or join a coding club down the line.

And if their interest in STEM catches fire? Your job is to fan the flames. 🔥

Support your daughter’s interest in STEM, if she has one.

Remember Anagha Hamsala, the BETA Camp alum who started her career in medicine as a freshman in high school?

She credits her success to the support of her family:

🏥 Her father, who was her “patient” while 4-year-old Anagha played doctor.

♀️ Her mother, who was Anagha’s advocate and role model as a woman in STEM herself.

📚 Her grandparents, who gifted Anagha the American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine and told her she’d make a great doctor.

Supporting your kid’s interest in STEM can look like:

• Signing them up for coding camps 

• Bringing them to the library to get another book on astronomy

• Just letting them know you believe in them (this means more than you know!)

But remember: STEM initiatives aren’t the only way to support your kid’s passion. 

Getting them involved in other programs can provide experiences that will ultimately make their skillset more well-rounded.

“It’s crucial to understand how to sell ideas,” says Elizabeth, a BETA Camp alum who used her entrepreneurial skills to get her research noticed by top universities.

Find STEM communities that make girls feel welcome.

As a kid, Diya attended a summer camp on aviation — but she was one of only four girls in attendance.

“And then I started to learn it wasn’t a one-off thing,” says Diya. “Fewer girls were in my coding clubs or in computer science camps.”

At an age when social connections mean everything, it can be difficult for girls to isolate themselves in a STEM field.

“In your high school years, you don’t want to be different. At that point it’s very hard to deviate,” says Maxim.

And if being the only girl in the room leads to bullying, girls can be steered away from STEM altogether.

That’s what happened to Adriana Gascoigne. When she joined her first startup, she was the only woman in a 35-person company.

“When people come into the door… they don't feel like they can fit in,” says Adriana, recalling her experience. “They don't feel comfortable. They don't feel like they belong." 

That led Adriana to launch Girls in Tech, a nonprofit dedicated to helping girls break into, and excel in, tech careers.

And her organization isn’t the only one trying to make STEM fields more welcoming to girls. Check out the work of organizations like:

• Girls Who Code, for future coders, engineers, and developers

• Greenlight for Girls, for STEM events, workshops, and more

• Techbridge Girls, for sparking curiosity in STEM fields

By exposing girls to STEM early, supporting their interests, and finding communities that feel safe, we can open the door for the next generation of leaders. ⭐

The happiness medicine we all need

As we head into a week of giving thanks, let’s take stock on what’s most important in life:

💰 Money? 

⭐ Fame?

🥇 Winning?

Those things are great, and it’s fine for our kids to strive for them, but not at the risk of — happiness.

Earlier this year, we told you about the most popular course at Yale, Psychology and the Good Life, taught by Dr. Laurie Santos.

Dr. Santos’s research revealed four key pillars of happiness, and it’s the perfect time of year to be reminded of them. 👇

1. Spending time with friends and family

Everyone is sitting in the same room with their eyes glued to their phones does not count.

But it’s also not helpful to go overboard by planning packed agendas, or overspending on expensive activities.

This is just gonna stress you out without adding value to the time you're spending with your kids, according to child psychologist Tovah Klein.

“It almost always could be said that less is more for children,” Tovah says. “They just want to be with you.”

So go kick a soccer ball, play a board game, or watch a movie together. 👊

2. Practicing gratitude

Hey, that’s what turkey week is all about! 🦃

But besides going around the table and announcing what you’re thankful for, let this serve as a reminder that you can help your kids practice gratitude every day.

Harvard’s Graduate School of Education suggests doing these four things:

Pro tip – read more about habit stacking here.

3. Practicing optimism

This one’s a little harder than gratitude, but educational psychologist Michele Borba has a simple solution:

Nurture your own optimism.

“Turn off the television when you find yourself stuck in a negative news spiral. Try repeating positive affirmations on days when the stress of the world is getting you down.”

Optimistic parents raise optimistic kids without even trying.

4. Physical activity

I may be biased, but physical activity is my favorite happiness medicine!

That’s because I found ice skating and loved it.

But don’t be discouraged if your kid hasn’t yet found the physical activity that motivates them yet.

Dr. Michelle Sirak is a pediatric physiatrist who treats patients across a broad range of physical capabilities, and believes there’s an activity out there for every kid:

“For children who didn’t enjoy or have never tried team sports, I recommend trying a more one on one sport such as gymnastics, martial arts, swimming, dance, or tennis — sports that allow the child to compete against themselves and may be less intimidating to try out,” says Dr. Sirak.

Time to get happy!

Just step in

Kids need to be given permission to explore careers that bring them joy, and it’s upsetting that so many girls who have come through our programs have expressed hardship in pursuing their interest in STEM fields.

Look, I’m not here to solve a global sociological problem, or dig into the nitty gritty on this issue.

I just have one ask:

If you see a kid who wants to explore an interest, but is facing a barrier, try to help.

The more fields that kids are exposed to, the more options they have — plain and simple.

So just step in and do what you can to remove their barriers.

They’ll be eternally thankful. ❤️

Until next time,

Ivy

CEO Prequel, BETA Camp, Apollo

Follow my journey on LinkedIn