The Merze Tate Explorers and the Henrietta Lacks Traveling Museum partnered with the Air Zoo to expose girls to STEM. On April 7th, nearly 50 girls in grades 6-9th took part in a day of exposure to careers in STEM through panel discussions, hands-on activities, and a scavenger hunt of women in STEM. Special guest scientist Alena Analeigh joined the students to facilitate a science experiment, discuss college prep, and provide an official NASA jacket to an essay winner.

Analeigh founded Brown STEM Girl, an organization dedicated to exposing girls of color to STEM at an early age. The 14-year-old future doctor is the youngest African American accepted to medical school, a former NASA intern, an international speaker, and a recipient of multiple awards for her work and passion in medicine, among many other accomplishments.

After a day of STEM fun, a reception was held for the students and their parents. All students received participation certificates, with others earning special prizes for essay writing and the scavenger hunt team challenge. Local dignitaries such as Mayor David Anderson and Portage Councilman Vic Ledbetter also attended.

The event was sponsored by The Air Zoo, Stryker Corporation, Pfizer, Eaton Corp, Bronson Hospital, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, the Kalamazoo Promise, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, the Women of Kellogg, and the Lewis Walker Institute. Women from those organizations were invited to participate in a panel discussion to share information about their STEM careers and the challenges and triumphs they face as women in STEM-related fields.