Middle-school girls lose interest in science, math and technology at an alarming rate, a trend that motivated local teachers and broadcasters to something about it.

WSIU public television and Carterville Intermediate School created the SciGirls Club through a grant from the National Science Foundation. Since March, teacher Monica Haake and WSIU outreach coordinator Beth Spezia have been at the forefront in bringing science to 75 girls in the fifth through eighth grades in Carterville. The program also included about 50 Girl Scouts in the region.

The collaboration between Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carterville Intermediate, the Girl Scouts and the Carbondale Science Center was impressive. Teamwork like the SciGirls Club is at the heart of improving our region culturally, intellectually and socially, both short and long term.

"Science isn't just in the classroom; it's all around us," Haake said Monday night at a school celebration to highlight the girls' year of discovery. "Science is an everyday thing that requires critical thinking. And it's fun."

Public television, to its credit, makes learning fun. The network created the show "DragonflyTV" to encourage children to explore simple and complicated science projects.

"The girls did everything from designing rockets to making mini hovercraft," Spezia said. "The program started in March, and we have had one activity per month since April.

"Teachers were noticing that girls were falling behind boys in science. By pulling the girls aside, setting them up with role models and fun projects, we put the girls in a comfort zone to learn."

Carterville sixth-grader Kennedy Tarr alternatively smiled and covered her eyes as she watched a video of the club's activities.

"I always have liked science," she said, "but now I'm more interested. This program has shown me that science is related to everything."

Carterville school board member Elaine Melby, an area real-estate broker, watched in wonder and wished she had been involved in a similar program as a child.

"I brought an electric motor to school one time as a science project," Melby said. "The motor just wasn't right, and even after a little tinkering with the wires, I couldn't get it to run. The teacher pulled me aside and said, 'Listen, why don't you just turn in a leaf collection.'"

Past insults, slights and a lack of attention toward girls have created a predicament for educators and society. If girls do not stick with science, math and technology, we're going to fall behind and off the cutting edge in a competitive world.

Luckily, "DragonflyTV," WSIU and Carterville Intermediate School will stay together.

Spezia announced at the end of Monday's program that it will continue for another year and beyond.

"The SciGirls in Carterville are poster child for this program," she said. "Since we have put our heart and soul into it, we can't stop now."

There are opportunities to expand SciGirls into other schools in the region, Spezia said, through grants from the National Science Foundation and local contributors.

"We are attempting to obtain local matching support," Spezia said.

"We would like to have it specifically earmarked for SciGirls. We have some work to do, but we know it's possible."

It's an investment worth making for administrators, teachers, parents and students.