What is GROW? 

The Girls Researching Our World program is designed to give your daughter an exciting glance into the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  Our purpose is to provide an experience most students don't get in normal classrooms via in-depth explorations, experiments, and problem solving techniques.  GROW gives each student a fresh new look into the world of STEM fields and convey them in ways that normal text books and lectures do not.  

What is a GROW event like? 

All GROW events are held on the main campus at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS.  Our upper level undergrad students, graduate level students, and Professors help make GROW events informational and fun at the same time.  Your daughter will spend her time here at K-State with trained Kansas State Student Mentors.  These Mentors will stay with your child and her group throughout the entire event. 

Saturday Events are an all day event, usually starting around 9 a.m. and lasting until 4:00 p.m.  Lunch is included. 

Our summer workshop is a 3 day camp where the girls stay in a Kansas State Dormitory.  All meals and dormitory rooms are provided.

When was GROW started?

The first activity was in June 2000: a summer workshop for middle school girls. The girls came to the K-State campus for two days to participate in hands on STEM projects designed by K-State faculty, staff and students.

Why was GROW started?

The 2000 Commission on the Advancement of Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering and Technology Development report states that over 5.3 million new high-tech jobs will need to be filled in the next eight years. K-State asked, where will the workers come from and how can we help? Currently only 21% of engineering, 20% of physics and about 28% of computer science degrees are awarded to women in the United States. We know that girls interest in science and math drops drastically beginning at the middle school level. This is the time in a young woman's life to get involved.

GROW is here to give you the resources you will need to encourage and challenge your daughter to look into the world of STEM fields. 

The links below will take you to a listing of our free informational publications that will help you and your daughter learn about the options available to her.

  • This page is for teachers, parents, and youth professionals who wish to use the Dragonfly Web Pages with their children. It provides annotated links to essays about teaching and learning as well as annotated links to components of the Dragonfly Web Pages.
    Visit this site for more information
  • "A woman can learn anything a man can" is an article that shares an inspiring story about a female engineer.
    View/Download the article here