ABOUT AMAZING GIRLS SCIENCE
Our Story: Evolution of Impact
Amazing Girls Science was founded by Dr. Cynthia Barnett with a powerful belief: every girl deserves to see herself as someone who CAN do science, technology, engineering, and math.
What began as large hands-on science conferences has evolved into something even more powerful—a partnership model delivering sustained, transformative STEM experiences to girls.
This is the story of how we got better by being willing to change.
THE BEGINNING: CONFERENCES THAT INSPIRED
For years, Saturday Academy hosted annual science conferences that were electric. Hundreds of girls would arrive on a Saturday morning—some excited, some uncertain, many not sure they belonged in a room full of "science kids."
By the end of the day, everything had changed.
Girls who'd never touched a circuit board were building robots. Girls who thought coding was "too hard" were programming. Girls who came alone left with new friends who shared their curiosity.
The conferences worked.
Girls discovered interests they didn't know they had. Parents saw their daughters differently. Teachers noticed increased confidence on Monday morning.
But we also noticed something: the inspiration faded. Without continued support and sustained engagement, that Saturday morning spark didn't always become a lasting flame.
We were creating moments.
We wanted to create transformation.
THE CHALLENGE: COVID-19 FORCES REINVENTION
Then March 2020 happened.
Like every organization, we faced an impossible question:
How do we serve girls when we can't gather them in one place?
We could have:
Waited for things to return to "normal"
Pivoted to one-time virtual events
Put the organization on hold
Instead, we asked a different question:
What if this is our opportunity to create something better?
THE PIVOT: FROM EVENTS TO PARTNERSHIP
We looked at what we'd learned from a decade of conferences:
✓ Girls need more than inspiration—they need sustained skill-building
✓ One day isn't enough to develop real competence and confidence
✓ Girls thrive in supportive, all-female teams over time
✓ Transportation and cost are barriers for many families
✓ The best programs happen where girls already are
And we discovered Technovation Girls — a proven global program with everything we'd been trying to create, plus a curriculum refined by reaching 150,000+ girls in 100+ countries.
THE DECISION
Partner with an after-school program to deliver Technovation Girls. Instead of bringing girls to us twice a year, we'd bring the program to them for 12 weeks.
WHY THIS MODEL WORKS BETTER
From One Day → 12 Weeks
Not just inspiration, but real skill development. Time to learn coding fundamentals, develop apps, test solutions, refine ideas, and build confidence through doing.
From Our Location → Their Community
Girls participate at their own after-school programs. No transportation barriers. No additional cost to families. Programs continue year after year with local sustainability.
From Solo Learning → Team Experience
Teams of 2-5 girls work together throughout the season. They don't just learn technology—they learn collaboration, project management, and how to navigate challenges together.
From "Maybe I Could" → "We Actually Did"
At conferences, girls saw what was possible. In Technovation, girls build actual apps that solve actual problems in their communities. They move from inspiration to creation.
WHAT STAYED THE SAME
Through all this evolution, our core never wavered:
Our Mission: Close the gender gap in STEM
Our Belief: Every girl can succeed in technology
Our Commitment: Serve 500+ girls annually
Our Approach: Hands-on, project-based learning
Our Community: Supportive environments where girls champion each other
Our Standards: High-quality programs that deliver real results
We didn't abandon what made the conferences special. We found a way to deliver that magic more deeply and more sustainably.
TODAY’S AMAZING GIRLS SCIENCE
We now operates through two complementary programs:
Technovation Girls: Girls ages 8-18 form teams and spend 12 weeks building mobile apps that solve real problems in their communities. The program is completely FREE and delivered through local after-school program.
Mother-daughter science events: These events create powerful bonding experiences where moms and daughters explore STEM together as co-learners, building confidence in both generations while breaking down gender stereotypes. These hands-on activities provide quality connection time and shared accomplishments that strengthen relationships while showing girls that women belong in science.
OUR FOUNDER: DR. CYNTHIA BARNETT
Dr. Cynthia Barnett is a retired educator with over 40 years of experience in education. She holds a doctorate from Columbia Teachers College and is a 2018 AARP Purpose Prize Winner for her work with Amazing Girls Science.
After retiring from school administration, Dr. Barnett could have truly retired. Instead, at 62, she founded Amazing Girls Science—refusing to let her 50,000+ hours of expertise sit unused.
She continues leading Amazing Girls Science, serving hundreds of girls annually and proving that the best work often comes after traditional careers end.
Her philosophy:
"Your expertise didn't retire when your job did. The world still needs what you know."
She brings that same energy to empowering girls: "Your potential doesn't depend on stereotypes. The world needs what you can create."