Did you know that three out of four science divisions at
NASA are headed by women? For the first time in NASA’s history! Is this amazing
or what? Earth Science division, Heliophysics division, and Planetary Science
division have female directors. Wonderful role models for today’s girls and young women. Here’s a
link to learn more about these women:
Two years ago, my local book group chose to read Hidden Figures, the book on which the
movie of the same name was based. I found the book boring. Too many dry facts.
The movie, on the other hand, held my interest from the beginning to the end.
Whether you preferred the book or the movie, the representation of the women
who helped put Americans in space is a fantastic story. All through the movie, I kept wondering why we hadn't heard of these women before.
My granddaughter loves to dance. In many ways, she’s a
girly-girl. Yet, through Girl Scouts, she’s encouraged to explore STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines. And because I want her to she has many options, I’ve gotten her LEGO sets featuring females,
like Women of NASA . . . along with ballerina ornaments at Christmas. Whether she chooses to become a dancer or an engineer, she knows she has options.
When I was in high school, a girl was supposed to get
married and have children. As a just-in-case she didn’t find a husband to
support her, a girl could be a teacher, a nurse, a secretary, and a telephone
operator. Limited options. I emphasized to my daughter and the girls in our
Girl Scout troop, that girls can do anything. They aren’t limited by what society
deemed “women’s roles.”
Now, we’re reading and hearing about women who broke through
barriers and made their mark on history. What will happen now that today’s girls have leaders to look up to and follow? Maybe they’ll figure out how to put a woman on
the moon. Or Mars.
To paraphrase Buzz Lightyear, girls can go “to infinity and beyond.”
