LEAD Public Schools

On Friday, November 6, LEAD Public Schools welcomed Play Like a Girl for its Girls Rock STEM+ Summit. This event brought together all of LEAD’s 8th- and 9th-grade female students at LEAD Neely’s Bend for a day dedicated to exposing young women to new possibilities for their futures. The summit transformed classrooms into interactive learning spaces where students explored careers in science, technology, engineering, and beyond. 

A Day of Exploration and Discovery

The day kicked off with an energetic opening celebration featuring the Nashville Predators energy team, music, entertainment, and an interactive science demonstration from Val the Science Gal, who did a hands-on demonstration about the science behind electricity, circuits, and electrodes.

Following the demonstration, students heard from inspiring women who have built successful careers across different fields. Featured speakers included Nashville meteorologist Shelby Mac and Dr. Contessa Metcalfe, a physician, entrepreneur and television personality. Dr. Metcalfe participated in a career conversation centered on confidence, leadership, and pursuing professional goals. These conversations gave students the opportunity to learn from women who have navigated challenges, pursued their passions, and found success in their respective industries.

Throughout the summit, students rotated through hands-on activities led by community partners and organizations. Experiences ranged from interactive litigation practice led by Vanderbilt Law School, flag football with the Tennessee Trojans, coding video games with Studio NPL, creating DNA double-helixes, exploring sound and audio design, and more. Each community partner brought unique opportunities for students to experience different industries firsthand and connect their interests to potential career paths they may not have known about prior to the summit.

Building Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

The Girls Rock STEM+ Summit reflects the mission of Play Like a Girl, a national nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for girls to build confidence, develop leadership skills, and explore careers in fields where women have historically been underrepresented. Through sports, mentorship, hands-on learning, and career exploration, the organization works to close opportunity gaps and equip young women with the tools, connections, and confidence to succeed. The organization’s investment in LEAD students will also extend well beyond the summit.

Play Like a Girl has committed a $5,000 scholarship, which will be awarded to a LEAD Public Schools student in Spring 2027. Additionally, Play Like a Girl will establish clubs at all LEAD Public Schools middle schools, creating ongoing opportunities for students to participate in mentorship, leadership development, and activities that connect sports and STEM education.

LEAD Public Schools is grateful for the strong community partnerships through organizations like Play Like a Girl who made the summit possible. Through continued collaboration, LEAD looks forward to creating even more opportunities for students to explore their interests and pursue their goals. To learn more about Play Like a Girl and its mission, visit iplaylikeagirl.org.