The CEIP Tello Téllez de Meneses de Palencia has been recognized for its active involvement among the 50 schools throughout Spain that participate in this innovative Aquae Foundation program to promote female scientific vocations

In Spain there are more university women than men, 54.8% compared to 45.2% according to Eurostat statistics; But when it comes to technical careers, such as engineering, the relationship is reversed: the female percentage of students is 20% compared to 80% male.

Reducing these gender biases in technical vocations is the objective of the Aquae STEM educational program, promoted by the Aquae Foundation and Aquona. The initiative seeks to foster girls' interest in so-called STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics for its name in English) and boost their confidence in those environments.

Without a doubt, this pandemic year has not made educational tasks easy. But despite this, the Aquae STEM program has completed its programming in the 50 schools throughout Spain where it takes place, with the participation of 2,500 girls between eight and 12 years old.

Among them have been the 3rd year primary school students from CEIP Tello Téllez de Meneses de Palencia, whose active participation in the program has also not gone unnoticed.

In each edition, the organizers recognize the task of those educational centers that have had the most involvement in various aspects of the program, and in this case the Palencia school has been selected among the half a dozen outstanding centers throughout Spain.

The recognition took place during an online event where it was announced that CEIP Tello Téllez de Meneses de Palencia has been "the center that has shared the most solutions in the challenge of online activity."

During the broadcast of the event, you could see the joy with which the students celebrated seeing their effort recognized. María López, the teacher in charge of the award-winning students from Palencia, stated during the gala: Aquae STEM is a very interesting and well-focused program, which has allowed the students to enjoy themselves, work as a team, be creative and gain confidence ”.

For his part, Juan Antonio Marcos García, Palencia Councilor for the Environment, pointed out the importance of this training initiative and the need to incorporate women into the technological field.

Many of the girls may have found with Aquae STEM the vocation to dedicate themselves to those disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics that are considered the basic ones for the labor market of the future.

Among the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, there are two to which the Aquae STEM program contributes directly: SDG 4, Quality Education, and SDG 5, Gender Equality. For Laura de Vega, Aquona's Director of Sustainable Development, the initiative responds to the values ​​that the company promotes: “At Aquona we have equity very integrated into our organizational culture. And if we want a sustainable and inclusive future, we are going to need more STEM profiles and more female leadership. Women have a lot to say in this area and we are pleased to help do so ”.

For her part, Mariola Urrea, president of the Aquae Foundation Strategy Council, appreciates the involvement of the teachers and the directors of all of them to carry out the Aquae STEM program, which has a specific online platform and carries out training sessions on-line.

With the Aquae STEM program, the students carry out practical activities, solve challenges and share experiences and results with their classmates. It is a continuous training, since the students start in the third year and can continue participating until they finish the sixth year of Primary.

In this edition, the program has incorporated meetings between outstanding female students and professional women in various fields. With the title of A mirror where to look at yourself, this new line has allowed the students to share with female references in areas such as nanotechnology, chemistry or engineering, such as the Castilian-Leonese Ana Vivar, food technologist and professor at the University of Salamanca.

Five schools in Castilla y León

Both Aquona and Aquae Foundation are grateful for the involvement of teachers, students and families from the five Castilian and Leonese schools that participate in the Aquae STEM program in the recently completed 2020-2021 school year: San José de Zamora; City of Buenos Aires and Tello Téllez de Meneses in Palencia; CRA Cerecedo in León, a city in which CEIP Gumersindo Azcárate has also joined the program this year.