Every year, from September 15 to October 15, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, honoring the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. At JerseySTEM, this celebration carries special meaning. It is a reminder of why representation matters in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

Across the country, Hispanic and Latina women have made groundbreaking contributions in STEM fields from space exploration to medicine, from biology to technology. Yet, Hispanic girls remain significantly underrepresented in STEM classrooms and careers. That’s where JerseySTEM steps in.

Through our after-school STEM clubs, JerseySTEM provides middle school girls in underserved New Jersey communities with opportunities to explore coding, robotics, biology, chemistry, and energy. These clubs aren’t just about experiments and lessons, they are about building confidence, curiosity, and belonging.

For Hispanic girls, especially, the presence of mentors and role models who share their culture and background is powerful. It tells them: “You belong here. STEM needs your voice.”

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we reaffirm our commitment to:

• Expanding access to free after-school STEM clubs across New Jersey.
• Recruiting volunteers and mentors who reflect the diversity of our students.
• Inspiring middle school girls, including many from Hispanic communities to dream big and see themselves as future innovators.

At JerseySTEM, we believe the future of STEM will be brighter when it includes all voices and all communities. This month and every month, we celebrate the achievements of Hispanic and Latina pioneers in STEM and invest in the next generation of leaders who will follow in their footsteps.

✨ Because when girls see role models who look like them, they believe they too can change the world.

#HispanicHeritageMonth #LatinasInSTEM #RepresentationMatters #JerseySTEM