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Technovation Girls is a global program that empowers girls from underserved communities to become entrepreneurs and leaders. The program’s 2024 Annual Impact report found positive outcomes related to participants’ self-efficacy and confidence in pursuing STEM fields, as well as long-term impacts on program alumnae, who report increased technical skills, such as programming, and soft skills, like leadership and teamwork. Program volunteers also recognize the positive professional and personal impact the experience has on their lives.
This case study examines the outcomes of an out-of-school-time program’s partnership with a citizen science hub to support STEM learning. The partnership facilitated science learning activities and citizen science projects for over 200 Girl Scout troops across various regions of the U.S. All of the program’s possible student learning outcomes were present by the end of the program, including the development of science literacy, science identity, STEM confidence, and taking specific actions to address scientific and environmental challenges. A key feature of the program was its unstructured nature, allowing for youth self-direction and unintended learning outcomes.
This quasi-experimental study of Girls Inc.—a year-round program located in more than 350 cities for girls ages 5-18 that focuses on healthy living, academic enrichment, and building positive life skills—found that girls who participated in the program reported more positive attitudes and behaviors than a comparison group of girls across the 27 outcomes that were measured in the categories of healthy living, academic engagement and success, and life skills. Girls Inc. participants also had higher math achievement test scores and school-day attendance rates than matched non-participants. By year two of the program, 23 of the 27 outcomes were statistically significant in the positive direction, including outcomes such as school engagement; finding school fun in areas like reading, math, and science; getting excited about science; engaging in physical activity; leadership; positive relationships with adults; and postsecondary readiness.
This 2020 evaluation of Techbridge Girls during the 2019-2020 school year summarizes the organization's success in increasing STEM identity and awareness, STEM self-efficacy, and socio-emotional skills for girls from historically marginalized groups, particularly through the Inspire program–an afterschool program focused on getting 4th and 5th grade girls from low-income communities excited about STEM.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Girls on the Run program and found that participants in the program improved their social and emotional behaviors and health outcomes, including measures of competence, confidence, character, connection, caring, and physical activity. Girls who scored below the preseason average showed the greatest gains, including in areas such as perceived social competence, self-esteem, empathy, and positive connection with their peers.
This non-experimental evaluation focused on pre- and post-program survey results distributed to girls enrolled in Girlstart After School and Summer Camp programs throughout Texas. The study evaluated whether program participants showed an increase in confidence, ability, and desire to pursue and accomplish STEM related opportunities and future careers. The survey results for Girlstart’s After School program met or exceeded all goals set by the program prior to the post-program survey, showing a majority of girls interested in STEM, pursuing STEM careers, and feeling more confident in their abilities to complete STEM related tasks. Summer Camp evaluation results showed a similar pattern, however, results were not compared to pre-survey goals.
Build IT is an afterschool and summer curriculum for middle school youth to develop fluency in information technology (IT), interest in mathematics and knowledge of IT careers. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2012-2013 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
Girlstart After School is a free, weekly STEM afterschool program designed as an intensive intervention to increase girls’ interest and engagement in STEM through sequential, informal, hands-on and inquiry-based activities in topics across the STEM acronym. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2015-2016 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
Techbridge offers afterschool and summer programs with hands-on projects and career exploration to inspire girls in STEM. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2012-2013 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
An evaluation of 82 afterschool programs funded by the Oakland School-Based After School Partnership, a collaboration between Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) and the Oakland Unified School District’s After School Programs Office (ASPO), that served 16,505 students during the 2014-2015 school year. Site visits and student surveys were used to evaluate the quality of the program and student’s perceptions of the program’s impacts on their academic performance, behavior, health, and readiness for the future. The evaluation found that Oakland afterschool programs are positively impacting their students’ academics, behavior, self-confidence, health and wellness, and readiness for the future.
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The Afterschool Impacts Database is a project of the Afterschool Alliance.
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs.
Afterschool Impacts Database