The third annual Expanding Your Horizons Conference will host nearly 300 people in Sacramento State’s University Union on Saturday.

The conference is organized by the Expanding Your Horizons Network. It will provide sixth- through eighth-grade girls educational workshops and presentations to promote the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields of study, according to the office of public affairs.

The goal of this event is motivate girls to become innovative and creative thinkers ready to meet the challenges of science and mathematics, said Dawn Fritz, Women of AT&T director.

“The STEM fields out there are underrepresented by females,” Fritz said. “We see the need to get the girls interests when they are young in hopes that they continue pursuing those fields in their education.”

Statistics show that between the sixth and eighth grade, girls test scores in the STEM fields starts to fall in comparison to the boys, Fritz said. This is why conferences such as this are taking place.

This event also brings benefits for the campus. The girls who attend this conference become potential students in the future, said STEM program coordinator Sharon Puricelli.

By being able to visit the university and interact with Sac State teachers, the girls become less intimidated by the campus and college in general, Fritz said.

“The goal is to attract young women to the campus,” Puricelli said. “It is recruitment in as sense.”

The Expanding Your Horizons Network started in 1974 by a group of women in the San Francisco Bay Area who were concerned with female participation in mathematic courses.

Today, it is an international organization that holds conferences throughout the world. Conferences have been held from the US to China, Thailand, India, Singapore and Malaysia, Fritz said.

New this year is the adult program that offers teachers as well as parents a way to enjoy themselves while the girls are participating in the workshops, Fritz said.

There are two programs targeted at the adults: one for teachers and the other for the parents.

Both cost $20, which includes admission and lunch.

The teacher’s morning program will present proven strategies that support classroom direct instruction and introduce non-traditional teaching practices. In the afternoon, teachers will have a chance to gain science content knowledge and develop teaching techniques.

There will be two programs planned for parents that day as well.

In the morning, a program will teach parents how to help their children meet the challenges of completing a college degree. In the afternoon, parents can learn ways to motivate children to pursue coursework in STEM.

The highlight of the event is a key point speech by Jan Nolta, director of the stem cell program at UC Davis.

“Girls should know that science is cool and there are a lot of options to being a scientists or doctor and using different cellular therapies which are the medicines of the future,” Nolta said.

For mentor volunteer positions, contact Adam Rechs at [email protected]. For all other volunteer positions contact Dawn Fritz at [email protected].

For complete details, visit www.cce.csus.edu/conferences/eyh/eyh09/index.htm.

Blazej Bruzda can be reached at [email protected].