IGNITE WORLDWIDE
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Mission Statement
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world.
About This Cause
IGNITE Worldwide (IGNITE) is the answer to achieving gender equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We work directly with educators during the school day to provide events that promote STEM education and career advancement for girls and gender-diverse youth, primarily from Title 1 schools and under-resourced communities. The IGNITE Program inspires girls to take charge of their future by building self-confidence through hands-on activities and connections to STEM role models from their communities. Our one-of-a-kind events welcome students from all backgrounds to experience STEM first-hand by learning technical skills and being inspired by STEM professionals who look like them. IGNITE was founded on the principles of supporting girls, girls of color, and gender-diverse students, as these students face the largest barriers to education and career exposure in STEM fields. By providing IGNITE Program events during the school day, IGNITE is able to reach under-resourced student groups, many of whom face obstacles to participating in afterschool or summer programs because of transportation availability, obligations at home, and/or safety concerns. IGNITE was implemented in Seattle Public Schools in 1998 by Cathi Rodgveller, M.S.Ed., a lifelong educator, school counselor, and advocate for equity in STEM education who witnessed firsthand how girls face systemic obstacles in accessing the STEM education and career pipeline, especially girls of color. Cathi served as a recruiter for nontraditional careers for the Seattle School District. She recruited female and BIPOC students for a pre-apprenticeship program in construction trades to promote equal access to career and technical education. After seeing how inviting girls to informational programs where they met women working in the trades increased interest in trade-related programming, Cathi implemented this as the IGNITE Program model for STEM topics to increase female enrollment in nontraditional classes. It is because of this first-hand knowledge and understanding of the national education system that IGNITE has been so successful at combating the gender gap in STEM clubs and classes, as is supported by honors such as the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). Today, the IGNITE Program is aligned with school curriculum and coordinated through Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers at each school to help recruit and retain girls in STEM classes and clubs as a stepping stone to obtaining foundational skills and pursuing high-wage, high-demand careers.