Open Minds, Open Doors Conference planned Oct. 13
(Science, Technology, Engineering and Math conference for middle school girls)

For immediate release

Grant Wood Area Education Agency will host the Open Minds, Open Doors Conference for middle school girls on Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 8:30 a.m. - noon. The event will be held at Coe College in Cedar Rapids.

Approximately 500 girls in 6-8^th grades will participate in the conference, which encourages girls to pursue career fields with foundations in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Professional women from the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor will conduct the hands-on workshops and breakout sessions.

Anne Michael Langguth, Miss Iowa 2009 and an alumna of “Open Minds, Open Doors,” will welcome participants. As Miss Iowa, Anne Michael travels throughout the state promoting healthy lifestyles with her community service platform of “Good for You! - Promoting and Supporting Wellness Initiatives.” Langguth is a 2009 graduate of Harvard University with a degree in Government, and is deferring her entry to The University of Iowa College of Medicine as she embarks on her year of service to the state.

Also featured will be the "Rockwell Collins Roadshow," a fast paced, interactive presentation on engineering. Rockwell Collins engineers show students that math and science can lead to exciting and interesting careers. The Roadshow brings real examples into the classroom of how technology helps them in everyday life. Students may see the inner workings of a high frequency radio for airplanes, how to protect a balloon from hazardous environments or how a banana can be used as a hammer.

The Open Minds, Open Doors Conference originated in 1996 as an initiative of the Cedar Rapids Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) with support from Coe College. To learn more about the Open Minds, Open Doors Conference, contact Susie Green, GWAEA student programs specialist, (319) 399-6775, 1-800-798-9771, Ext. 6775, e-mail sgreen@gwaea.org or visit www.aea10.k12.ia.us.

Grant Wood AEA provides educational services for 32 public school districts and 22 approved nonpublic schools in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, and Washington counties.

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(Note to news media: Very visual. Please check in at Cherry Lobby upon arrival at Coe (between Stuart and Peterson Hall.)