DeSoto ISD Announces Oct. 21 Female Leadership Forum
DeSoto Independent School District will host the Female Leadership Forum from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 21 at DeSoto High School for young ladies in grades 5-12.
The Female Leadership Forum is an empowerment initiative to encourage students to dream while aiming to reach their full potential. Each year, the program has a different focus aimed at engaging various interests among female students. The Female Leadership Forum is a leadership development program for young ladies in grades five through 12 in DeSoto ISD and surrounding communities designed to empower, energize, and educate young women in their effort to battle self-esteem issues, bullying, and discouragement of pursuance of STEM fields and disciplines.
The event invites girls in the DeSoto and the surrounding communities to participate in a day of encouragement and empowerment. This event will inspire young ladies to envision their potential through exposure to real women in STEM-related fields.
DeSoto ISD parent and DeSoto ISD Board Member Sandre S. Moncriffe said, “As a mother of two daughters, I find great value in the opportunity to expose my daughters to events such as this, to introduce them to opportunities and forums where they can develop their personal selves, to become a little stronger in understanding who they desire to become as adults and professional women.”
Presenters and speakers include doctors, engineers, scientists and tech-focused career women who will impart leadership, insight, and motivation to encourage female leadership and participation in traditionally male-dominated STEM disciplines.
“In DeSoto ISD, we believe each and every student is entitled to experiences that empower them to be their absolute best,” said Moncriffe. “The Female Leadership Forum engages not only our students but our community and surrounding neighbors. Any girl who wants to understand what STEM-focused careers look like, what leadership looks like from the female perspective and what it takes to be successful, should attend this event.”
According to the Census Bureau's 2009 American Community Survey, women comprise 48 percent of the U.S. workforce but just 24 percent of workers in STEM fields. Half as many women work in STEM jobs as would be expected if gender representation in STEM professions mirrored the overall workforce.
Women remain underrepresented in the science and engineering workforce, although to a lesser degree than in the past, with the greatest disparities occurring in engineering, computer science, and the physical sciences.
“In DeSoto ISD, student development isn’t just relegated to the classroom,” said DeSoto ISD Assistant Superintendent of Federal Programs Dr. Cheyrl Ensley. “We aim to provide opportunities to develop the whole student—socially, emotionally and academically. Providing opportunities for our young ladies to discover careers through the lens of experienced, professional women is a phenomenal exposure piece that could act as a catalyst for a student’s decision to pursue new and innovative pathways of study or careers, some of which may not even exist yet.”
The mission of the DeSoto ISD Female Leadership Forum is to give girls a forum where they can engage with like-minded peers and role-models to create opportunities for inspiration, growth and personal development.
DeSoto ISD’s mission is to prepare students academically and socially to be problem-solvers and productive citizens. DeSoto ISD is committed to empowering all students with knowledge and skills to become competitive, analytical thinkers who work collaboratively and individually in the pursuit of future endeavors.
The event will also feature a surprise special guest.
“In DeSoto ISD, we want to ensure that we are doing all we can to provide our students every opportunity possible to see themselves in positions of success,” said DeSoto ISD Superintendent Dr. David Harris.
“The Female Leadership Forum is an opportunity to encourage our young ladies to continue to dream and to set goals to accomplish those dreams. As a father and educator, this is the type of exposure I desire for my own daughter, an opportunity to see professional women who look like her and that are actively successful in a career that she desires to pursue.”
Those interested in attending the Oct. 21 DeSoto ISD Female Leadership Forum event, can register at www.desotoisd.org/FemaleLeadershipForum.