LOS ALAMITOS, CA – Los Alamitos High School senior Sarah Saadeh is the president of the Women in STEM club. Women in STEM is an international organization that works with high schoolers to tackle the gender disparities in STEM fields. 

Saadeh became a Women in STEM ambassador in the summer of 2022, then started her club as a chapter in Los Alamitos. As an ambassador, Saadeh is part of a worldwide community of high schoolers committed to Women in STEM’s mission. 

“I wanted to establish a club that could cultivate an environment where females felt like they were equally represented in STEM, create a bond between like-minded students, and expose them to females in professional STEM fields,” Saadeh said.  

Pursuing civil engineering, Saadeh noticed a lack of female representation in her AP science classes at Los Al. She said her friends felt discouraged from taking AP sciences because of the stereotypes associated with those careers. Especially in Saadeh’s physics class, the boys far outnumbered the girls. 

“It raised more awareness to the issue,” Saadeh added. “I was always exposed to it and knew it was there, but I think that made it more real.” She created the Women in STEM club to increase female representation in the field. 

Linked with Saadeh’s club at Los Al is her Girls in STEM program, a weekly workshop at the Youth Center for girls in second to sixth grade. Women in STEM club members volunteer for Girls in STEM, helping Saadeh with her lessons and assisting with experiments. 

“I wanted to make an impact on younger girls in the community,” Saadeh said. 

“The best part is being able to see the joy and smile on the girls’ faces when they succeed in creating the project and knowing they feel accomplished,” said Myley Fox, a sophomore club member who volunteers for Girls in STEM. 

With almost 70 members now, Women in STEM meets at least once a month in Mrs. Helm’s classroom on the third floor of the STEM building, room 279. During meetings, Saadeh gives updates on Girls in STEM and encourages people to volunteer. 

“It’s open to anybody, both male and female students, [who] want to support the cause of advocating for equal gender representation,” Saadeh said. 

“We get the opportunity to interact as leaders, but also help encourage and appreciate STEM,” Fox said.

Members participate in bonding activities, share their experiences in STEM, and discuss what they want to pursue. Saadeh also plans to invite a guest speaker to her club who has experience as a female in a STEM field. 

“My ultimate goal is to normalize the concept of representation within STEM fields but also advocate for [girls] to gain confidence and self-worth as a female looking to pursue STEM,” Saadeh said.

For more information, see Saadeh’s club Instagram page, @lahs_women.in.stem.