This past week, a firefighter, a veterinarian, and a director of government affairs walked through the doors of Apple Valley High School. Following on their heels were over 20 other female professionals. And they were all at AVHS for the same reason.

On Thursday, January 28th, the E3 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) program at AVHS hosted a breakfast. They called this breakfast “Grit to Great,” inspired by the book, co-authored by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval. Thaler and Koval discuss the importance of resilience, perseverance, and–to put it simply–grit, and how it helped them succeed in the highest levels of their careers and professions.

When asked, E3 STEM director Jim Lynch said that the ultimate goal of the Grit to Great breakfast was to “introduce females to other females that are in typically male-dominated careers.”

The breakfast, designed to attract female students interested in STEM-related fields, provided students with the opportunity to meet and interact with female STEM professionals from the surrounding community. Among the students who attended the breakfast were women from Dakota Electric Association, Thomson Reuters, and Fairview Ridges Hospital, to name a few.

The breakfast began with an introduction from a Frontier Communications representative and the “table talk,” where students were able to introduce themselves, discuss fields of interests, and network with the professionals at their designated tables. Each table was donned with a “table design challenge,” in which the students and professionals had to construct certain structures with limited materials, such as paper clips and post-it notes

The final and most exciting part of the event, according to Lynch, was the panel. The girls were able to hear directly from five professionals about their daily tasks as women in the workforce and ask them any questions they might have.

Female students from all grades attended the event, but one sophomore in particular was excited about her experience. Maddy Paulseth said her favorite part of the event was “getting to learn more about the business professionals’ experiences in STEM…and working with new people and getting to know their interests in STEM as well.” Although still undecided about her future career, Paulseth says that after the breakfast she is definitely considering going into a career in the STEM field.

With the strong turnout and the many inspirational women who attended the Grit to Great breakfast, it is safe to say that the future of STEM in AVHS and the workforce is promising.

To learn more about the “Grit to Great” movement and to purchase the book, visit: http://grittogreat.com.