The Saint Mary's College Future Women's Doctors Club held an event at Coquillard Primary Center on Dec. 3 and 4 to promote interest in science to young girls.
"We wanted to empower young girls and get them interested in science," Catherine Cleary, the vice president of the Future Women's Doctors Club, said.
The club was originally created to encourage and assist peers looking at gaining acceptance to medical, dental and graduate schools, but the group also arranges volunteer and internship positions with local doctors.
"Coquillard is a title one school. There is a lot of poverty there," Cleary said. "Our group wanted to give them the same chance that other schools might have."
The two-day program, entitled "The Girl Power Workshop," was created for third and fourth grade girls. During the two days, the girls were able to dissect fish, make volcanoes, analyze fingerprints, play with magnets and pretend to be doctors.
"[The event] went well," Cleary said. "At first the girls were hesitant, but by the end they were showing me fish eyeballs. They thoroughly enjoyed it."
The club began the workshop at Coquillard last year. The club is planning a similar workshop next semester to promote science to high school girls.
The club is also planning to volunteer at Healthworks and organize a drive for single mothers at a homeless shelter.
"Education is the way out of poverty. [Education] breaks the cycle," Cleary said.
