Middle school girls from across Northeast Ohio attended STEM Goes Red at NEOMED, an American Heart Association program designed to encourage young women to pursue STEM careers. The day-long program brought 225 students from 27 schools and featured hands-on breakout sessions, a cadaver heart demonstration, and an interactive presentation from Enbridge Gas Ohio. Organizers emphasized persistent gender gaps—women make up about 29% of the STEM workforce and only three of every 100 female bachelor’s graduates work in STEM a decade later—and closed the event with a panel of local women in STEM.
225 Middle School Girls Explore STEM Careers at NEOMED Through 'STEM Goes Red'
Alexis Walters, a meteorologist at Fox 8 TV in Cleveland, poses with middle school girls who attended an event at Northeast Ohio Medical University that focused on STEM education. Students from three Portage County schools participated.
Middle school girls from across Northeast Ohio gathered this week at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) for STEM Goes Red, a hands-on program organized by the American Heart Association of Northeast Ohio to inspire young women to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
Students gather at Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown for an event that focused on STEM education.
Event Overview
The day-long event welcomed 225 students from 27 schools, including participants from three Portage County schools. Presented by the FirstEnergy Foundation, the program connects students with female professionals in STEM and offers immersive, career-focused activities.
The Stem Goes Red at Northeast Ohio Medical University drew 225 girls from 27 schools in Northeast Ohio.
Goals and Context
STEM Goes Red is part of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women initiative and complements the organization’s Research Goes Red efforts to increase research and funding into cardiovascular disease affecting women. The association highlights a persistent gender gap: while women represent nearly half of the workforce in non-STEM occupations, they account for only about 29% of the STEM workforce. Program materials also note that, of 100 women who earn bachelor’s degrees, just three are likely to be working in a STEM job ten years after graduation.
Local women in science, technology, engineering and math address students in a panel discussion at Stem Goes Red at Northeast Ohio Medical University.
Hands-On Learning
Seventh- and eighth-grade students participated in a four-hour interactive schedule. After an opening welcome from the FirstEnergy Foundation, students rotated through breakout sessions in science, technology, engineering and math. Highlights included examining a cadaver heart and attending an interactive educational session led by Enbridge Gas Ohio.
Voices and Inspiration
"STEM Goes Red is a vital initiative because it opens doors for young women to explore careers in science and technology and other areas where the gender gap is still far too wide." — Torey Tolson, Community Involvement Consultant, FirstEnergy
The program concluded with a panel Q&A featuring local women working in STEM who shared career paths, practical advice on education and training, and personal stories to motivate the next generation.
"STEM Goes Red draws on the American Heart Association’s legacy in science, education and discovery, offering an immersive experience that propels young women into this exciting world." — Molly Marhofer, Community Outreach Director, Ron Marhofer Auto Family
Local Participation
Participating schools included Bio-Med Science Academy, Field Middle School (Brimfield Township) and Stanton Middle School (Kent), among others from across the region. Organizers say the event aims to both expand interest in STEM careers and strengthen representation of women in fields that impact healthcare, research and technology.
This story originally appeared in the Record-Courier.
