- 1. 2007 www.zoeysroom.com P: 207-594-1842 F: 207-594-5445
[email protected] Zoey's Room A p r o g r a m p r o v i d e d b y
P l a t f o r m S h o e s F o r u m What is Zoeys Room? Zoeys Room
(www.zoeysroom.com) is a model online education program developed
by Platform Shoes Forum to teach 10- to 14-year-old girls about
science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Hailed nationwide
as the leader in safe, collaborative learning communities for kids,
Zoeys Room takes a proactive approach to ensuring the safety of our
members. Program Features Fewer than a dozen Science, Technology,
Math, Engineering (STEM) websites are currently available online
for middle school girls right now. Of them all, Zoeys Room is the
only STEM website that features a multicultural character Zoey who
appeals to both rural and urban girls. Hip cyber-hostess Zoey hosts
her own chat room for girls every day after school. She encourages
girls to explore STEM topics through fun challenges called
Tec-Treks, which expand their knowledge on a range of 21st century
skills, including Internet research, databases, word processing,
science, business math, digital and video proficiency, robotics,
engineering and website design. The more challenges girls complete,
the more points they earn toward big prizes such as wireless mice
from Logitech, a Fremont, CA-based device manufacturer.
Additionally, each month, Zoey leads informative chats with Fab
Female role models in STEM professions. This one-on-one connection,
along with the collaborative community of the website, encourages
girls to become more interested in STEM careers. Internet Safety #1
Priority How do we protect girls from encountering just anybody on
our site? Weve partnered with IDology, Inc. to ensure all adults
who register a girl for an account are subject to an identity
verification. Before confirming a girls membership to Zoey's Room,
our process verifies the data collection of adult registrants to
ensure they are who they say they are. Past the access point,
Zoey's Room staff moderate and monitor the chat room and message
boards every day for ongoing protection of its members.
Additionally, Zoeys Room staff provide live workshops for girls,
parents and educators on a range of topics including Internet
safety, cyberbullying prevention and eMentoring. Whos Joining
Across the Country? Zoeys Room was launched in 2002 with the
endorsement of former Maine Governor Angus King. In 2005, the
website launched nationally, with the New England Regional YWCA as
its pilot partner. Zoeys Room continues to build and strengthen
alliances with other youth-serving organizations to license,
endorse and promote Zoeys Room as a safe alternative for girls
online. Currently there are 24 after-school Zoeys Room clubs across
the nation with more than 800 girls expected to be members by 2008.
For more information go to www.zoeysroom.com and sign a girl up for
a $20/year membership or $2.95/month. If youd like to speak to the
Zoeys Room staff more about the program, please call (207) 594-1842
or email [email protected]
2. Zoey's Room A p r o g r a m p r o v i d e d b y P l a t f o r
m S h o e s F o r u m ICON FEATURE Zoey By clicking on Zoey, the
girls have access to the ZR Lobby, a secure, moderated chat room
for Zoeys Room members only. Laptop Here, members can read the
Weekly Letter from Z, which is Zoeys blog to members about Zoeys
life and whats happening in the world of STEM. An archive of past
letters is available. Plasma Screen Above the dresser is the Member
Profile where a girl has her own room within Zoeys Room to keep
track of her stuffi.e., her ID name and password, her onscreen
identity and her Tec-Trek points. Mirror The mirror leads to W3
Links, a page that provides current links to girl- friendly
websites under such headings as Girls Schtuff, Techie Chickies,
Math n Science and E-Pals Showcase. Keyhole Click on the key to
access the Tec-Trek, the educational component of Zoeys Room, which
are fun challenges in STEM. Once a girl completes an online
activity or off-line challenge, she is eligible to win points
toward big tech prizes such as wireless mice and The Sims. Message
Board This moderated message board for Zoeys Room members only
keeps girls all over the United States connected. Here, they can
rant, rave and ask Zoey and other girls questions by posting
messages on the Z-Board. Video Camera This leads to E-Pals
Showcase, featuring the most creative and original digital STEM
projects made by Zoeys Room members who have completed Tec-Treks.
The projects are divided into four categories: writing, digital
images, video clips and websites. Pixel Pixel is Zoeys furry little
friend who brings cool science, tech, engineering and math toys and
gadgets back to the Room for girls to evaluate. Most often, the
gadgets are highlighted products of our sponsors. If a girl
chooses, she can anonymously submit direct feedback about each
gadget to make products more girl-friendly. 2007 www.zoeysroom.com
P: 207-594-1842 F: 207-594-5445 [email protected] 3. Zoey's Room
A p r o g r a m p r o v i d e d b y P l a t f o r m S h o e s F o r
u m Tec-Treks are fun, customized challenges that adhere to
national learning standards and focus on topics specific to that
program's "Room". Each of our Tec-Treks has a theme, a story and a
measurable goal. The Tec-Treks are comprised of
beginner-to-advanced levels labeled: Tec-Newby, Tec-Traveler and
Tec-Savvy. The Tec-Trek Learning Model Each Tec-Trek follows the
same flow of information. Whaddya Know? Introduces kids to terms
and concepts. Story Through metaphorical stories, kids learn about
the inner workings of a particular topic. Activity Kids participate
in online activities related to story. Challenge Kids step away
from the computer to do an offline, hands-on challenge related to
story. Here is a sample of Zoeys Tec-Treks in science, technology,
engineering and math. Zoeys Room Tec Trek Description Of Story
Description of Activity Description of Challenge Goal/Outcome
Science The 3,000-Year- Old Queen The mystery surrounding Queen
Nefertiti leads Zoey to explore archeology. On www.salariya.com,
girls search for answers on archeology and mummification. Girls
create a time capsule that will allow future archaeologists to
discover clues about each girls life. To educate about mummies and
archeology by creating artifacts for future generations to
discover. Technology Freaky Fables Zoey teaches the girls how to
create silly stories to keep that creative spark alive. Girls
create a unique fictional story using an online Mad Lib- type story
generator. Girls create a storyboard used in film and video based
on the Mad Lib-type story in the activity To foster creative
writing online by using storyboard techniques, and uploading
digital images. Engineering Mavis the Mobot Mavis is a Mobile Robot
who Zoey witnesses performing valuable human tasks even though she
is an outcast. Girls find answers about robot sensors through
website www.robotsandus.org Girls create a robot hand mockup out of
cardboard and rubber bands. To learn about function and design of
robotics by constructing a homemade robot hand. Math Gimme Some
Credit! ( Dme un cierto crdito!) A Tec-Trek with a Latina focus.
Maya helps her older sister get out of major credit card debt.
Through www.channelone.com, girls do a credit card simulator to
estimate their debt. Girls calculate how many years it would take
to pay off credit card debt. To introduce fiscal responsibility by
simulating debt, percentages, income, and expenses. 2007
www.zoeysroom.com P: 207-594-1842 F: 207-594-5445
[email protected] 4. Zoey's Room A p r o g r a m p r o v i d e d
b y P l a t f o r m S h o e s F o r u m 2007 www.zoeysroom.com P:
207-594-1842 F: 207-594-5445 [email protected] Zoeys Room Members
Butterfly Butterfly, 14, comes from a Zoeys Room YWCA club in
Springfield, MA. This is her second year in the Zoeys Room club and
she has moved beyond connecting and chatting, and more into
Tec-Treks. She has great potential, says Club Leader, Marlene
DeJesus. Shes like a powerhouse on Trekswe cant stop her. Shes got
great strengths. DeJesus notes that the public schools the girls go
to are busy trying to meet academic standards and lack
extracurricular activities. The girls are doing Tec-Treks and
engaging in activities that makes them think. They are beginning to
perform in a setting that school isnt bringing out in them, says
DeJesus. Zoey and her online friend Maya have been instrumental in
Butterflys commitment to working hard in the club, says DeJesus. At
home, most of the girls dont have computers or online opportunities
to talk to other girls. ZRs moderated chatroom, plus the warmth and
welcoming nature of Zoey and her Friends have given them a healthy
but safe place to express themselves. The Gals Around The Globe
feature highlighting Ghana girls made a big impression upon them,
says DeJesus. It was a cultural eye-opener. Additionally, the Fab
Females, particularly the online connection to women from
Microsoft, was powerful for them. Islandlover Islandlover, 14 lives
on Vinalhaven, a remote island off the coast of Mainewith a
population of around 1,235. With little to do after school other
than sports and occasional activities, island kids often find
themselves socially isolated and yearning for interesting
challenges. Beyond the delight of meeting other girls from other
states through the safe, Zoeys Room chat roomIslandlover is excited
about Zoeys Room because of her interest in math and science. In
fact, shes gifted, Id say, said her club leader Pat Paquet. She
spends every summer at a science camp and I would think when she
gets older, she will go into a career of the sciences. Already shes
in 8th grade and poised to be taking 10th grade Algebra. Shes
building her robot hand through the Mavis the Mobot Tec-Trek and
has done about 11 Tec-Trek activities in all categories: science,
technology, engineering and math. Shes self-motivated, says Paquet,
who adds, she wouldve been happy to just to do [parts of] Zoeys
Room herself, but she looks forward to coming to the club every
week. Two highlights for Islandlover and her club have been the
chance to chat with the Fab Female Diane Cowen, a lobster scientist
(and fellow islander) as well as the chance to meet their real-life
ZR friends from the mainland this spring. 5. Zoey's Room A p r o g
r a m p r o v i d e d b y P l a t f o r m S h o e s F o r u m 2007
www.zoeysroom.com P: 207-594-1842 F: 207-594-5445
[email protected] Zoeys Room Testimonials via email and
online posts From Girls Points of View, as Zoeys Room Club Members:
Zoey's Room is the best! I got a behind-the-scenes look at Zoey's
Room at a camp and it changed me forever. I always felt so alone
before, like I had nobody to talk or confide in. In Zoey's Room, I
can let it all out and be completely ...ME." Math is my favorite
subject Im (now) interested in numbers and problem solving We need
more ideas like Zoeys Room; being a girl is hard and we need all
the support we can find since it's hard to discover that at home,
with our friends, or our schools." "I think that Zoey's Room is the
best idea in the whole entire world. Girls don't have an
interactive website that targets what we want and need to know. My
parents never talked with me much about growing up so I was often
left in the dark. On Zoey's Room, a safe environment is provided
where questions can be answered and girls actually have a voice."
From Parents and Mentors Points of View: "My daughter enjoys
participating in Zoey's Room, it gives her a chance to get together
with friends, meet new ones, and discuss a variety of topics. I, as
a parent feel secure knowing she's online but in a safe
environment, now that's priceless. Zoeys Room has been a wonderful
experience for both my own daughter as well as 40 or more students
I have mentored over the last three years as members of our school
district's Zoeys Room Club. "It is indeed a pleasure for me to
reiterate my support of Zoey's Room. This creative approach to
reaching pre- teen girls is one of the most exciting that I have
seen in my twenty-five plus years of education." One Club leader
reports, Now (the girls) have more confidence in themselves when
they come to my lab to do things, my Zoeys girls are the leaders
they will be up and showing the other kids what to do. Another Club
leader: I gotta tell you, our girls are loving this club. The first
Tec-Trek they decided to do was Girls Cant Do Math?! A couple of
them were hesitant because they were more comfortable with English,
but then they got into it as a group and helped each other solve
the problem in the Z-Activity. Then they came up with their own
businesses and experimented with fonts and did the budgets. From
Lyn Mikel Brown, Ph.D., Colby College: "As a developmental
psychologist, educator, and scholar of girls and women's
development, I highly commend the creators of Zoey's Room for their
originality, their passionate commitment to the healthy development
of girls, and the wonderfully creative way in which they have used
technology to educate and encourage girls to expand their
horizons." Mike Rancourt, parent and IBM employee: I think this is
a fantastic outlet for teenage girls. Raising a teenage girl in
this millennium is very tough indeed. Because of the work I do for
IBM I understand what's out there and so I do my best to keep on
top of what my kids surf for on the internet. This takes a lot of
the pressure off me knowing she's participating in this and it also
allows me to encourage her to make progress on the site versus
having to engage in negative conversations for browsing sites I
don't approve of. Great job! 6. Zoey's Room A p r o g r a m p r o v
i d e d b y P l a t f o r m S h o e s F o r u m 2007
www.zoeysroom.com P: 207-594-1842 F: 207-594-5445
[email protected] ZR Evaluation Overview of 2006-2007 Benchmark
and Final Survey (100 members sampled) GENERAL Average grade level
of girls: Average age 5th grade (37.6%) 11-12 80.5 % of the girls
have been members of Zoeys Room since the 06-07 school year. Girls
who participated in ZR via an after- school club (46%) and those
who participated on their own at home. (54%). When asked the
answers to very specific science, technology, engineering and math
questions we put to them in the survey, the majority of girls got
12 out of 13 of the answers rightproving that they actually learned
terms, concepts and principles of certain STEM topics by doing the
various Tec-Treks. Science 60% knew the definition of a nanosponge.
58% knew the definition of bunny suit in terms of what scientists
wear in lab rooms. 65% knew the difference between toxic and not
toxic chemical household products to the environment. Technology
65% could identify a jpeg photo. 54% knew that DSL was the fastest
mode of connection. 89% knew the correct definition of www. 71%
knew the correct way to upload a digital image to a computer.
Engineering 87% knew the definition of a mobot. 70% knew what
function robot sensors carry out. 70% knew what kind of tasks
mobots can perform that humans cant. Math 89% knew the difference
between short-term and long-term savings. 41% knew the correct
formula for a persons net worth (46% got it wrong). INTERNET SAFETY
95% said they felt very safe on ZRs chat room 8% said they felt as
safe on Zoeys Room as other chat rooms. 0% said they felt unsafe at
any time.