CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Chicago Public Schools (CPS) hosted a career fair Thursday morning for girls interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Renata, 16, stopped by the Museum of Science and Industry booth at CPS' first Women in STEM Career Fair.
"They're showing us salt and sugar and how the inside of salt and sugar is, and I think it's really interesting," Renata said.
She was one of 400 students visiting with female professionals in industries like aviation, health care, and computer science.
"It is to encourage our girls to move into STEM careers by exposing them to the various careers that are available, making sure they can see themselves in those roles as well as expanding their knowledge of what STEM is in general,” said Tiffany Seay, STEM Initiatives manager with CPS.
CPS Chief of Schools Megan Hougard said the fair also aimed to address the decline in the number of women pursuing and remaining in STEM.
"Often, our young women are going into fields where there are not a lot of other women,” Hougard said. “They may not have had that exposure to the diversity of careers. If you don't have connections to that field, if you don't know other people in those roles, we need to support building that network."
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