36 NOVEMBER 2024 Aya El Masry, Samantha Daitch, Adeline Ward, Brooke Vella, Petra Danek, Nora, O’Donovan and Savannah Farr. PHOTO: TRACI DANEK By Kylie de Best As a child, Phoenix Country Day School junior Petra Danek struggled with math classes – not because the subject was tough, but because she had a mindset from peers that told her “girls were not good at math.” Petra’s mom took notice and enrolled her in a program that changed her outlook on the subject. It was memories of the classes that helped inspire her to create the RosFranklin Society, an organization that focuses on instilling a love of STEM among girls while giving them confidence to pursue the fields academically and professionally. Over the summer, Petra held a tutoring job where she noticed a difference in confidence between the girls and boys she was tutoring. “When I asked students about their confidence, they explained to me how they did not believe girls were good at math,” Petra said. “This upset me because when I was younger I too shared these thoughts. I was enrolled in a program and started having fun with math and wanted to keep practicing. This allowed me to succeed in school and created a positive feedback loop.” Petra read a couple articles explaining the best ways to instill a love of STEM in young girls, where she learned about representation, real life examples and growth mindset. “What I learned reminded me of my friends because in addition to their passion for STEM, they also have growth mindsets and are great role models,” she said. With this information, Petra dove into her plans of creating an afterschool program for girls led by her and her friends about topics they are interested in: biology, environmental science, neuroscience, sports medicine, chemistry, math, oncology and astrology. During one of their initial seminars – which focused on biology and environmental science – with fourth and fifth graders at All Saints Episcopal Day School, the group discussed genetics and Rosalind Franklin (the organization’s namesake). Mentors helped the students conduct an experiment where they got to see their own DNA, discussed sustainability practices and made their own paper. “So far, we’ve worked with All Saints and the International School of Arizona. We are excited to expand to more schools. We feel girls of every background should have an opportunity to participate and learn about STEM subjects,” Petra said. When not working with the RosFranklin Society, she is an instructor at Mathnasium, a member of the Honor Health Medical Explorers Program and founder and president of the PCDS Spanish Club. After graduation, Petra plans to pursue a major in neuroscience, attend medical school and ultimately become a pediatric oncologist. Learn more about the organization on Instagram @therosfranklinsociety. STEMming confidence in students across the Valley If you are currently working with an agent, please disregard. NATHAN ANDERSON + PAUL NICOLETTI 480.888.5800 | NATEANDPAUL.COM NATHAN ANDERSON + PAUL NICOLETTI NATHAN ANDERSON + PAUL NICOLETTI ROC #314154 Buying, building, or browsing? Interested in what our next project will be? We have several projects coming soon. Scan the QR code above! 4501 E TURNEY AVENUE Coastal Modern | $2,650,000 4 BD + Office | 5 BA | 3,516 SQ FT | View Deck 3832 E MONTEROSA STREET Aussie Modern | $2,495,000 4 BD | 4.5 BA | 3,195 SQ FT Second Story Roof Top Patio