On January 10, 2024, eight IGNITE Students from the 6th and 7th grades (ages 11-12) participated in an IGNITE Event at a public primary school in Warsaw, Poland. The event featured Anna Potocka-Domin, the founder of the Foundation Inspiring Woman, who shared her journey and insights to motivate and inspire the students to pursue their dreams and overcome societal biases.
Anna Potocka-Domin started the event by sharing her personal story. Despite her early interest in biology and science, she lacked support during her formative years. However, a high school teacher recognized her exceptional writing skills, which motivated her to study journalism. Her journey didn’t stop there; she later pursued marketing and an MBA Executive degree, focusing her thesis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which became her professional passion.
During her presentation, Potocka-Domin highlighted the crucial difference between equality and equity, sharing how unconscious bias affects women’s opportunities. She pointed out the stark disparity in representation: only 17.2% of managerial board members in Poland’s top 140 companies are women, despite women constituting 62.9% of those with higher education.
Potocka-Domin also debunked myths about gender differences in cognitive abilities, explaining that recent research shows no inherent differences in motor skills, spatial visualization, mathematical abilities, or speech fluency between boys and girls. However, she emphasized how stereotypes significantly influence performance. For instance, women reminded of the stereotype that they are worse at math tend to score lower. She highlighted that each brain is unique, shaped by individual experiences, much like fingerprints.
Potocka-Domin provided compelling examples to challenge long-standing stereotypes. She recounted how, contrary to the belief that men were the primary providers in prehistoric times, women actually supplied about 70% of the food by gathering and hunting smaller animals. She also corrected the misconception that men invented computers by highlighting that the first computer, ENIAC, was programmed by six women in 1946.
She further noted that female students excel in science subjects when textbooks feature female scientists, underscoring the importance of representation. Concluding her presentation, Potocka-Domin encouraged the students to follow their dreams and support one another, fostering a spirit of camaraderie and empowerment.
Overall, the IGNITE event not only educated the girls about the challenges and opportunities in pursuing STEM careers but also inspired them to break down barriers and achieve their full potential. The event left a lasting impression on the young participants.
Thank you to Anna Potocka-Domin for sharing her passion and insights and Educator Małgorzata Baszczak for coordinating the group and providing encouragement. Additional thanks to Cathi Rodgveller for her continuous support and for creating the IGNITE Program.
After attending this event:
100%
of students are interested in STEM
75%
of students know more about STEM career choices and the benefits of working in a STEM field
86%
of students feel more confident in pursuing STEM
79%
of students gained perspective and feel more hopeful about the future
Here’s what the students thought of the event:
“It inspired me to think positively about my future and to achieve my goals. This event was very interesting..” — 6th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to always be confident. I would like to say that the event was very interesting, and I would like to meet the expert again.” — 6th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today taught me to follow my dreams, not the stereotypes. I would like to thank her very much for the event, and I hope that her dreams about equality for women will come true.” — 6th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today’s event inspired me to follow my dreams. I would like to thank the expert for the event; she made me realize that everything is possible. Women can do everything!” — 6th Grade IGNITE Student
“Today showed me that women can do everything. Thank you for the event.” — 7th Grade IGNITE Student
“It inspired me to achieve my goals. You have a very interesting job.” — 7th Grade IGNITE Student
“This event inspired me to fight for my future, myself, and equality.” — 7th Grade IGNITE Student
About IGNITE Program Events:
Virtual or In-Person IGNITE Program Events empower women in STEM careers to connect directly with students by sharing their academic and professional journeys. IGNITE Students are inspired by hearing stories they can relate to, and Q&A discussions help break down stereotypes that hold them back from engaging in STEM classes and careers.
About IGNITE Worldwide:
IGNITE Worldwide is a 501(c)3 nonprofit STEM education organization that aims to change gender and racial equity in STEM permanently and systematically. We work directly with teachers during the school day to provide programming that promotes gender equity and representation in STEM academics and careers. Through our award-winning program, IGNITE provides engaging, hands-on events that connect students with STEM professionals from industry leaders from around the world. Learn more at www.igniteworldwide.org.