HONOLULU (KHON2) — STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Math — was created in the aughts to help U.S. students compete in the global economy that is increasingly dependent on STEM areas of study and research. There are some schools that add Arts to the acronym.

Without an educated population that can enter into STEM oriented professions, the U.S. workforce will be locked out of prosperity and opportunity.

Sacred Hearts Academy in hosting the Science Symposium for Girls, on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. on their campus in Kaimukī.

The event is free and open to the public. It focuses on all girls who are in grades 5-9 who want to learn more about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math [STEAM] fields.

“Today, STEM fields promote career inventiveness, scientific discovery and efficiency in the ways things are done, while also opening new job and economic opportunities. Current research shows that STEM careers in the US in the past 10 years have grown at three times the pace of non-STEM professions,” said Dr. Scott Schroeder.

As the pace of artificial intelligence emerges, it is more important than ever that we educate our children in areas that will allow them to prosper and succeed.

“Through the next decade, these are projected to continue growing at this pace. At Sacred Hearts Academy, we believe every girl should be given the opportunity to learn and develop this interest early on,” Dr. Scott Schroeder further explained.

For the event, Sacred Hearts will have 20 hands-on workshops. These will be offered by experts in the community along with Sacred Hearts Academy faculty and staff. Attendees will be able to attend two 60-minute workshops of their choice.

There will be a Keynote Speaker — Suzanne Vares-Lum, President of East West Center — for parents who want to learn more about STEM.