Skip to content
Subscribe today

Every print subscription comes with full digital access

Subscribe Now
  • All Topics
    • Health
    • Humans
    • Life
    • Earth
    • Physics
    • Space
  • Magazine
  • Menu
    • All Stories
    • Multimedia
    • Reviews
    • Puzzles
    • Collections
    • Educator Portal
    • Century of Science
    • Unsung characters
    • Coronavirus Outbreak
    • Newsletters
  • About
  • SN Explores
  • Our Store
Donate
Home INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM SINCE 1921 SIGN IN
Home INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM SINCE 1921
  • All Topics
    • Earth
      • Agriculture
      • Climate
      • Oceans
      • Environment
    • Humans
      • Anthropology
      • Health & Medicine
      • Archaeology
      • Psychology
    • Life
      • Animals
      • Plants
      • Ecosystems
      • Paleontology
      • Neuroscience
      • Genetics
      • Microbes
    • Physics
      • Materials Science
      • Quantum Physics
      • Particle Physics
    • Space
      • Astronomy
      • Planetary Science
      • Cosmology
    • Tech
      • Computing
      • Artificial Intelligence
    • Chemistry
    • Math
    • Science & Society
    • All Topics
  • Health
  • Humans
    • Humans
      • Anthropology
      • Health & Medicine
      • Archaeology
      • Psychology
    • Recent posts in Humans

      • Anthropology

        Two tiny genetic shifts helped early humans walk upright

        By Roberta McLainOctober 28, 2025
      • Anthropology

        DNA reveals Neandertals traveled thousands of kilometers into Asia

        By Bruce BowerOctober 27, 2025
      • Humans

        Napoleon’s retreating army may have been plagued by these microbes

        By Meghan RosenOctober 24, 2025
  • Life
    • Life
      • Animals
      • Plants
      • Ecosystems
      • Paleontology
      • Neuroscience
      • Genetics
      • Microbes
    • Recent posts in Life

      • Animals

        Deep Antarctic waters hold geometric communities of fish nests

        By Carly Kay12 hours ago
      • Artificial Intelligence

        The AI model OpenFold3 takes a crucial step in making protein predictions

        By Tina Hesman Saey22 hours ago
      • Animals

        Polar bears provide millions of kilograms of food for other Arctic species

        By Gennaro TommaOctober 28, 2025
  • Earth
    • Earth
      • Agriculture
      • Climate
      • Oceans
      • Environment
    • Recent posts in Earth

      • Animals

        Deep Antarctic waters hold geometric communities of fish nests

        By Carly Kay12 hours ago
      • Climate

        Hurricane Melissa spins into a monster storm as it bears down on Jamaica

        By Carolyn GramlingOctober 28, 2025
      • Animals

        Polar bears provide millions of kilograms of food for other Arctic species

        By Gennaro TommaOctober 28, 2025
  • Physics
    • Physics
      • Materials Science
      • Quantum Physics
      • Particle Physics
    • Recent posts in Physics

      • Space

        Black holes are encircled by thin rings of light. This physicist wants to see one

        By Emily Conover4 hours ago
      • Physics

        These simple knife tricks stop onion tears instantly

        By Carly KayOctober 27, 2025
      • Quantum Physics

        Quantum ‘echoes’ reveal the potential of Google’s quantum computer

        By Emily ConoverOctober 22, 2025
  • Space
    • Space
      • Astronomy
      • Planetary Science
      • Cosmology
    • Recent posts in Space

      • Space

        Black holes are encircled by thin rings of light. This physicist wants to see one

        By Emily Conover4 hours ago
      • Astronomy

        Astronomers saw a rogue planet going through a rapid growth spurt

        By McKenzie PrillamanOctober 10, 2025
      • Astronomy

        See a 3-D map of stellar nurseries based on data from the Gaia telescope

        By McKenzie PrillamanSeptember 26, 2025
Sponsored Content

Society’s STEM Action Grant Program supports Black Girls Dive Foundation

Black Girls Dive Foundation

Clockwise from top right: One student conducts a pH test on a water sample. With scuba gear on, students head out to their diving location. Participants dive in Andros, Bahamas. The girls take part in a beach cleanup.

All: Black Girls Dive Foundation

Share this:

  • Share via email (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Historically, a number of societal and systemic barriers have prevented black men and women from enjoying an activity as simple as swimming. According to the USA Swimming Foundation, 64 percent of black children don’t know how to swim. There are similar barriers for many black children who want to learn more about science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, fields. To address both of these issues, Nevada Winrow, a neuropsychologist working in education, started the Black Girls Dive Foundation based in Owings Mills, Md. The organization is dedicated to providing underserved and under-resourced girls between the ages of 9 and 17 with valuable skills in STEM and aquatic-based recreation.

In June, the foundation was one of 20 community-driven nonprofits that received a STEM Action Grant from Society for Science & the Public. The STEM Action Grant Program aims to support organizations that are working to enhance the public’s understanding of science and increase participation of underrepresented populations in STEM fields.

Through her organization, Winrow is influencing a new generation of women to take up STEM. “Because of the Society’s support, 75 people have been able to explore their STEM identities through engagement in STEM activities and mentorship from leading experts in their field,” Winrow says. “Postsurvey results even showed that participants saw themselves as scientists, as opposed to the presurvey where they reported that they did not see themselves as scientists.”

This is the foundation’s second $5,000 grant from the Society. In 2018, the foundation received $5,000 to support a program called STREAMS, for science, technology, robotics, engineering, art and mathematics with scuba diving. Participants cultivate science-literacy skills and engage in activities such as building underwater remotely operated vehicles, taking scuba lessons and starting conservation initiatives at the local and international levels. The 2019 grant will help the foundation fund supplies and equipment, provide staff training and support participants’ capstone projects.

Students have raved about STREAMS. “This program is the best thing ever. I get to brag that I know how to scuba dive, and I can identify many kinds of fish,” says one participant.

A total of $65,000 was awarded this year through the STEM Action Grant Program, with $30,500 going to 10 organizations that previously received support. To date, the Society has given $170,000 to 29 organizations seeking to improve access to STEM education.

Science News

Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. Today, our mission remains the same: to empower people to evaluate the news and the world around them. It is published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education (EIN 53-0196483).

  • Science News Explores
  • Science News Learning

Subscriber Services

  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • Follow Science News on Facebook
  • Follow Science News on X
  • Follow Science News via RSS
  • Follow Science News on Instagram
  • Follow Science News on YouTube
  • Follow Science News on TikTok
  • Follow Science News on Reddit
  • Follow Science News on Threads

More Information

  • FAQ
  • Newsletters
  • Rights & Permissions
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Society for Science

  • About the Society
  • Society Store
  • Donate
  • Careers

© Society for Science & the Public 2000–2025. All rights reserved.

1719 N St. NW, Washington, DC 20036 202.785.2255
Terms of Service Privacy Policy

Log in

Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.

Not a subscriber?
Become one now.