
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, August 1, 1994                   TAG: 9408020022
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MELISSA DEVAUGHN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GIRLS URGED TO PURSUE SCIENCE, MATH

In it's report, "How Schools Shortchange Girls," the American Association of University Women recommended "girls be educated and encouraged to understand that mathematics and the sciences are important and relevant to their lives. Girls must be actively supported in pursuing education and employment in these areas."

At a girls-only science camp held last week in Montgomery County, 14 county girls ate lunch with AAUW members who tried to encourage the girls to pursue science and math-oriented careers.

"Girls work well when they're with other girls - they don't worry so much about the way they look," said Kathy Terlesky, a microbiologist and AAUW member who organized the special luncheon. "We are here to share with them our jobs and to encourage them to keep on plugging at those science classes."

"I stressed the fact that science is interesting and so are science careers," said Connie Anderson, a lab technician in the biochemistry department at Virginia Tech.

"We talked about the opportunities women have in science careers, and about how great it was to be with a group of girls. They felt strongly that at home and in the school environment, they had very little opportunity because they didn't get enough attention."

by CNB