Teaching young girls about their skin, and STEM

Medical student Christine Li helped Girl Scouts of Central & Western Massachusetts learn about skin, hair, and nails through Good Skin Knowledge Program. 

Christine's story

Over the past 6 months, with the support of the AAD, I and other UMass Medical School students were able to teach over 50 elementary and middle school girls about skin health through our collaboration with the Girl Scouts of Central & Western Massachusetts.

We kicked off our sessions by running workshops during the Girl Scouts’ annual all-day “Geek is Glam” event, which is attended every year by over 400 girls from across Massachusetts who are interested in STEM. We delivered workshops covering basic skin anatomy and terminology, acne, healthy sun habits, and the impact of media and retouching.

In addition, we held a four-session series throughout the fall with a local Girl Scouts troop, covering skin anatomy, acne, sun safety, and plants and bugs. Because of the AAD’s wonderful supplies and lesson plans, the girls had a blast learning about the skin through activities like building skin models and making bracelets with UV-sensitive beads.

Based on the feedback from the Girl Scouts and their parents, Good Skin Knowledge (GSK) truly makes a difference. We hope that as the GSK program grows, we will continue to be able to make a lasting impact on young children by teaching them about their skin and getting them interested in a career in STEM.