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April 18th, 2016

4/18/2016

 
​Get to Know #GGU2016 Power Mentor: Madeleine Gagne! 
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​Often times, when people think of magical book characters, their mind jumps to fictional ones. Earlier this week, we had the chance to speak to a young woman who was a magical character in her own right, and the book that she could seemingly be a character in is nonfiction. The best part about it? She’s a power mentor for #GGU2016. Check out what scientist Madeleine Gagne, cofounder of the Collins Miller Project and the New Age Girls initiative has to say about her inspirations, aspirations, and motivation; as well as her push to get girls involved in STEM. Also, did we mention that she’s only seventeen?

Cailey Newton: How did you get your start? What would you say inspired you and how did the Collins Miller Project and New Age Girls initiative come to life?
Madeleine Gagne: I grew up a dreamer. I love reading and I always wanted to be one of those amazing, smart book characters that I read about. It’s always been about bringing magical books to life for me. My mom says, “magic is just science we don’t understand” and while both my parents are English professors, in seventh grade I began to make the shift from English to science after participating in my school’s science fair. I continued pursuing the project I was working on which was comprised of using alternative algae-based energy sources and it’s grown from there!
CN: That is SO cool! Can you tell us more about the New Age Girls initiative?
MG: Of course! The amount of help and support I’ve received from so many people throughout my work with the Collins Miller Project made me really want other kids to have that same opportunity. The goal is to get girls around the world into the lab. NAG is a way for girls to make some amazing discoveries even though they don’t have the chance in their own homes.
CN: What were you like at fifteen or, I guess maybe a better way to phrase it, how would you say you’ve evolved?
MG: As a tiny freshmen walking into a lab that housed college students - both undergraduate and graduate, it was definitely an intimidating environment. I learned that fear is not something that just goes away though, you’re not born without it. It’s okay to be afraid. It’s amazing how all of these little things that I daydreamed about became real. Now, for me, it’s about turning dreams into reality. I am no longer that timid little freshmen, I’ve grown into a much more confident person.
CN: What advice would you give a teenage girl today?
MG: I think if you’re doing something no one else has done before, it probably means you’re doing something right. You have to be willing to take a chance. When I called Ohio State University, I had to be confident. Make your own path!

Besides being a scientist and always wanting to get her hands on a good science book, Maddie also shared with me her involvement with Girl Scouts; her passion for playing the piano and composing semi classical music; how she’s always looking to connect with new and different people and expand her network; and her love for flying planes (which she learned how to do last summer). By the end of the interview, I felt as if I was talking to a friend and I concluded that not only will she be an incredible role model for the girls, but she’s one of mine as well.




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4/8/2016

 

5 Ways You Can Make an Impact in 60 Minutes or Less

  1. Take Part in the Healing Classrooms Challenge
    The healing classrooms challenge is a way to get involved and gain knowledge about the Syrian refugee crisis. The first step is registering a team (don’t be shy to enlist help from a teacher or parent/guardian)! Next, follow the few easy steps provided here to make a pinwheel. Finally, package them up and send them in! Each pinwheel made will be matched with a $2 donation to the International Rescue Committee’s Healing Classrooms program. Quick, easy, and impactful. 
  2.  Visit DoSomething.org | Volunteer for Social Change If you’re looking for a way to make an impact while also doing something that you’re passionate about, check out DoSomething.org for some great ideas! There are plenty of projects to get involved in that take 60 minutes or less, but if you have time for longer term projects, there are plenty of those as well. The wide variety of activities, causes, and time spent on them is what makes this one of our favorite go-to sites when we’re looking for a cause to get involved in!
  3. Neighborhood Clean-Up ​​​Whether you have a park nearby you, live close to the beach, or simply have a neighborhood that you think could use a little bit of tidying up, grab a bag- of course one that’s made out of 100% organic or recycled materials- and go! We continue to be so, so inspired by the Bye Bye Plastic Bags Campaign and think their goals and initiative provide the perfect motivation to become more mindful and take action towards a more environmentally friendly world.
  4. Team Up, Take Action, and Make a Pledge Is there something that you feel particularly passionate about? Something that really makes you say, “I want to take action and I want to take action now”?  Use resources such as the internet, colleagues, friends, family, etc. to find a group of like-minded individuals that are interested in the same cause. Girls’ education is something we are especially passionate about (check out the #62milliongirls campaign, Let Girls Learn & Girl Rising- a global campaign for girls’ education. While it can be overwhelming to consider all of the world’s problems and how to even begin tackling them, by taking a pledge and equipping yourself with knowledge about something you care about, you get the ball rolling!
  5. Start With Your Own Community 
    There are so many ways to get involved within your own community whether it be at your school or at your church, and in 60 minutes or less you could:
    - Tutor, mentor, or coach someone
    - Play games with or read to someone at a retirement home
    - Volunteer your time at a local soup kitchen or food bank

    ​All are quick ways to assist individuals in your own community.

    BONUS! Check out the tool kit at the  Girl Effect to find some more inspirational and practical ways to make an impact!


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