The gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is one of the most critical challenges facing industries today. Despite women making up almost half of the workforce, they are vastly underrepresented in STEM fields, accounting for only 28% of workers in these sectors in the U.S., according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The disparity is even more pronounced in higher-paying and leadership roles within the STEM industry. In an effort to address this gap and inspire more young women to pursue careers in STEM, Play Like a Girl has forged a powerful partnership with SharkNinja, an innovative global product design company, to make a significant impact this year and beyond.

A Strategic Partnership to Close the Gender Gap in STEM

SharkNinja’s strategic relationship with Play Like a Girl is centered around promoting STEM education for girls by providing both financial and human resources. The company has committed a cash sponsorship that will not only support Play Like a Girl’s mission to expand its programs nationwide but will also help to launch new initiatives in cities like Boston, where women continue to be underrepresented in STEM careers. In addition, SharkNinja employees will take on the role of mentors, offering their time and expertise to guide and inspire girls who have an interest in exploring STEM fields.

“This partnership is critical to our efforts to close the gender gap in STEM,” said Dr. Kimberly Clay, CEO of Play Like a Girl. “By partnering with companies like SharkNinja, we can expand our programs to reach more girls and provide them with real-world STEM experiences, critical mentorship, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that encourage them to see themselves as future innovators and leaders.”

Franchesca Carrington, Head of DEI, Philanthropy & Community Partnerships at SharkNinja, echoes these sentiments. “At SharkNinja, we believe that empowering the next generation of female innovators is essential for building a more diverse and inclusive STEM workforce. Through our partnership with Play Like a Girl, we are excited to help inspire young women to pursue STEM careers and provide the mentorship they need to succeed.”

A Crucial Moment: Play Like a Girl STEM+ Challenge at Mother Caroline Academy

As part of this exciting partnership, Play Like a Girl and SharkNinja recently hosted 28 students at Mother Caroline Academy in Dorchester, MA during Massachusetts STEM Week, a statewide initiative aimed at engaging students in STEM activities and career exploration. Massachusetts STEM Week, held annually, focuses on closing the gender and racial gaps in STEM, encouraging young people from underrepresented communities to engage with STEM in meaningful ways. The STEM+ Challenge at Mother Caroline Academy was a standout event during this week-long celebration of STEM, underscoring the pressing need for programs that empower young women in underserved communities.

Mother Caroline Academy, a tuition-free private school for girls from low-income families, serves as an important educational hub in Dorchester, a community where opportunities to explore STEM can be limited. Many of the students at Mother Caroline face barriers to accessing STEM education and resources, which makes programs like Play Like a Girl’s STEM+ Challenge essential for fostering their interest in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The STEM+ Challenge was launched several years ago by Play Like a Girl as a means to inspire girls to explore STEM careers and become the innovators of the future. This year’s challenge, part of the Massachusetts STEM Week festivities, saw the 28 aspiring female inventors from Mother Caroline Academy work together to design, engineer, and build real-world solutions to tackle the problem of food waste in school cafeterias. The girls used cardboard, felt, playdough, and other household materials to craft their inventions, demonstrating remarkable creativity and ingenuity in their approach to the challenge.

Building Solutions and Breaking Barriers

One of the most significant aspects of the STEM+ Challenge is the opportunity for students to engage in hands-on learning and critical thinking, key components of STEM education. In this challenge, the students were tasked with developing solutions to a pressing real-world issue: food waste in school cafeterias. This problem was particularly relevant to the students’ lives, encouraging them to think about sustainability and the role STEM can play in addressing environmental challenges.

The competition was more than just an academic exercise; it was an opportunity for these young women to build problem-solving skills, work in teams, and apply their knowledge in a practical context. In doing so, they gained a deeper understanding of the STEM principles they learn in school and how those principles can be used to effect change in their communities.

What made the event even more impactful was the mentorship component. Female employees from SharkNinja were on hand to mentor and support the students as they worked through their designs, offering advice, guidance, and insights into how STEM is applied in real-world circumstances. The mentorship aspect of the program is vital because it allows the students to connect with professionals who have firsthand experience in STEM careers. For many girls, seeing a woman in a STEM role—especially one who is successful and passionate about her work—can be the inspiration they need to pursue that path themselves.

A Platform for Future Innovators

After hours of hard work, the student teams presented their projects to a panel of judges, which included both their peers and SharkNinja mentors. Each team’s solution was evaluated based on several criteria: their understanding of STEM principles, the appropriateness of their response to the problem, the innovation, sustainability, and feasibility of their solution, and the quality of their pitch presentation. These presentations mirrored the process that many STEM professionals go through when pitching new ideas or solutions to a problem, providing the girls with valuable experience in articulating and defending their work.

The members of the winning team were awarded HP laptop computers, a prize that not only celebrates their achievement but also equips them with the technology they need to continue exploring STEM opportunities in the future.

The Importance of Mentorship in Closing the Gender Gap

One of the primary goals of the Play Like a Girl and SharkNinja partnership is to address the STEM mentorship gap for young women. Research has shown that positive role models and mentors play a critical role in encouraging girls and women to pursue STEM careers. A report from the National Girls Collaborative Project found that when girls have access to female mentors in STEM fields, they are more likely to pursue STEM education and career opportunities.

Mentorship provides girls with role models they can look up to and helps them visualize a future in STEM that might otherwise seem out of reach. For many girls, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, seeing someone who looks like them succeeding in a STEM role is a powerful motivator. The SharkNinja mentors at the STEM+ Challenge were not only guiding the girls through the competition but also demonstrating that a future in STEM is within their grasp.

“Mentorship is an integral part of our mission,” said Dr. Kim. “We know that girls who have access to mentors, especially those in STEM fields, are more likely to pursue careers in these areas. That’s why our partnership with SharkNinja is so important—it allows us to provide girls with mentors who can help them navigate the world of STEM and see the incredible opportunities available to them.”

Franchesca Carrington, SharkNinja’s representative, reinforced the importance of mentorship in empowering young women to pursue STEM careers. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this initiative because we know that mentorship can make a huge difference. By connecting girls with women who are already successful in STEM, we can help them see that they belong in these fields, too. It’s about breaking down barriers and showing them what’s possible.”

Expanding Play Like a Girl’s Impact

The STEM+ Challenge at Mother Caroline Academy is part of a broader effort to bring Play Like a Girl programs to all-girl schools communities across the U.S., with a special emphasis on all-girl schools and environments. Through the support of corporate partners like SharkNinja, Play Like a Girl is able to expand its reach and provide more girls with the tools and resources they need to succeed in STEM. This partnership will continue throughout the year and beyond, with SharkNinja employees playing an ongoing role as mentors and advocates for girls interested in pursuing STEM careers.

This program underscores the unique value of bringing Play Like a Girl programming to all-girl school environments. All-girl schools offer an empowering atmosphere where girls feel more confident to take risks, explore their interests, and engage fully in STEM activities. This supportive, focused environment allows students to break free from traditional gender stereotypes and build strong connections with female role models and mentors in STEM fields. By expanding Play Like a Girl’s reach to all-girl schools, the organization creates spaces where girls can not only explore STEM but thrive in an atmosphere designed to foster their growth and potential. This emphasis on all-girl educational settings, both public and private, ensures a tailored approach that maximizes the impact of Play Like a Girl’s mission nationwide. As more girls are exposed to STEM education and mentorship opportunities like these, we move closer to a future where women are equally represented in the STEM workforce—creating a more inclusive and innovative future for all.

Looking Ahead: 2024 and Beyond

The partnership between Play Like a Girl and SharkNinja is more than just a sponsorship—it’s a commitment to empowering the next generation of female innovators. Through mentorship, hands-on STEM experiences, and a shared vision for a more equitable workforce, Play Like a Girl and SharkNinja are working together to create real, lasting change. By investing in girls’ education and providing them with role models and opportunities to explore STEM, this partnership is helping to break down barriers and open doors for young women across the country, starting in Dorchester. Together, they are shaping the future of STEM—one young woman at a time.

Play Like a Girl and SharkNinja will continue to provide life-changing opportunities for students. Next, students from Mother Caroline Academy will take part in Play Like a Girl’s Inside Look corporate field trip program. This exciting event will be held at SharkNinja’s headquarters in Needham, Massachusetts, where students will have the chance to tour the company’s cutting-edge facility and learn firsthand from women and men in the workplace.

This immersive experience will give students an insider’s view of how STEM skills are applied in product innovation, from the design phase to testing and quality control. They will also have the opportunity to interact with SharkNinja engineers and product designers, asking questions and learning about the career pathways available to them in the STEM industry.

The Inside Look program is designed to give students practical insights into STEM careers, allowing them to envision themselves working in such dynamic environments. By engaging directly with professionals in the field, these girls will leave inspired to continue pursuing STEM education and potentially follow in the footsteps of the women and men they meet during the trip.

Join Us in Shaping the Future of STEM

The impact of partnerships like the one between Play Like a Girl and SharkNinja cannot be overstated. Together, we are creating a pipeline for the next generation of female innovators and leaders in STEM. But we need your help to expand this mission and reach even more girls across the country.

Whether you’re a company looking to engage your employees in meaningful social impact work, or an individual who wants to volunteer as a mentor, we invite you to join us in empowering girls through STEM education and mentorship. With your support, we can continue to close the gender gap in STEM and provide young women with the tools, opportunities, and role models they need to succeed.

If you’re interested in becoming a partner, sponsor, or mentor, visit iplaylikeagirl.org to learn more about how you can get involved. Together, we can inspire the next generation of women to lead the way in STEM.