It only had to happen once for Elyse Forman to realize the truth. After being silenced in a high level math and science class, the discrimination facing women in science, technology, engineering, and math became all too clear. Armed with a burning desire to make a difference, Elyse began to do some research. She learned about the gender gap and the cultural factors that play into its existence. Starting Girls in STEM, a weekly after school program aimed at interesting low-income elementary school aged girls in science and technology, was Elyse’s way of making a difference. Using a curriculum she designed, built around hands-on experiments conducted as a group and follow-up experiments to do at home, Elyse matched her participants with student mentors from partnering high schools. Girls in STEM sparks a love of a science, breaks down barriers, and opens doors for young women.