April/May 2024 Newsletter

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Volume 80, Issue 5

President’s Message

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Dear Arlington AAUW members,

As I write this note, spring is truly upon us – the daffodils and tulips are blooming, the days are getting longer, and the cherry blossoms are at their peak. I hope everyone is enjoying all the wonderful spring colors as we leave the grays and whites of winter behind us.

At our March 16 Annual Meeting, we elected our new 2024-26 officers: VP for Membership Candace Lilyquist, Treasurer Teri Doxsee, and Secretary Francesca Reilly-McDonnell after a very informative panel discussion on current legislative issues. Our panel presenters included former Virginia State Senator Mary Margaret Whipple, Karen Darner, former Virginia House Delegate, Arlington Commission on the Status of Women member Susan Strauss, and Pam Berg, Co-President of the Arlington-Alexandria League of Women Voters. We send many thanks to Co-VP for Programs Barbara Smith for organizing this great program. Virginia AAUW lobbied for many bills related to family/medical leave, reproductive care, education, and equal pay. The governor is in the process of reviewing passed legislation and we will have to wait to see what he approves or vetoes.

We are currently in the midst of selecting our scholarship winners and teacher awardee and they will be announced at our May 20 meeting. Our science fair winners have been named and we will have the opportunity to meet them and learn about their research at our April 15 meeting on Zoom. I hope that
as many of you as possible will attend these meetings so we can show these students how much we applaud their endeavors.

More information about our branch meetings, Lunch Bunch, and Let’s Talk about Books activities are further down in this newsletter. I hope to see you at least one of them this spring!

Sincerely,

Terry Bratt, Arlington Branch President

Branch meetings

CalendarAAUW Special Program for Women’s History Month, March 16

 Mary Margaret Whipple, a former Virginia State Senator, was the featured speaker. In addition to describing her experiences and observations as one of the few women in the General Assembly, she noted the increase in women’s participation in that body over time. In 1924, the first two women were elected to the House of Delegates; in 2024, 34 women were serving as Delegates. The first woman to serve in the State Senate was elected in 1974; in 2024, 14 women were serving as State Senators. She also mentioned the Virginia Women’s Monument: Voices from the Garden, the first monument of its kind in the nation  (https://womensmonumentcom.virginia.gov/thetwelve.html.

Karen Darner, a former member of the House of Delegates, suggested ways to combine research and data with personal stories to create compelling support for legislation being debated in the General Assembly. Pamela Berg, Co-President of the League of Women Voters Arlington and Alexandria City, discussed the goals of the League and the League’s thorough process for creating positions on issues of interest (https://my.lwv.org/virginia/arlington-and-alexandria-city).

Susan Strauss, a member of the Arlington Commission on the Status of Women, discussed the Commission’s objectives and activities, emphasizing the importance of reaching out in ways that encouraged engagement.

Monday, April 15, 7 pm, via Zoom

Presentations by the high school and middle school young women whose projects at the Northern Virginia Regional Science and Engineering Fair in March 2024 received awards for excellence by judges from the Arlington Branch of AAUW.  Also speaking will be Jennifer Swann, Director of Information Security at Bloomsburg Industry Group, who presented the program on AI/ChatGPT at our September meeting.  Information on accessing the ZOOM meeting will be sent to AAUW-Arlington members prior to the event..

Barbara Gallagher and Barbara Smith, Co VPs Program

Let’s Talk About Books

The April meeting for Let’s Talk About Books will be Tuesday, April  16 , 2 pm at the home of Barbara Gallagher.  Our book selection is The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.  Please RSVP to Barbara Gallagher (bgallag2@gmail.com, 703-243-1043) to let her know you are coming.

Our May Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21 at 2pm.  Unless someone volunteers to host this meeting it will be conducted via Zoom.  Our May book selection is Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.

So read the books and come join the fun. Happy reading!

Barbara Gallagher, Let’s Talk About Books Chair

Arlington AAUW Scholarship Update

We are excited to share that the 2024 Arlington AAUW Arts Scholarship, the Lunch Bunch Scholarship and the Educator of the Year Award applications have all gone out and the deadline for submission is April 2nd. We expect to announce the winners by April 15th so they will have time to put our May 20th Awards celebration at 7 pm at the Lubber Run Rec center on their calendars!!!!! Each year we have been impressed by the quality work of the applicants and this year is proving that excellent candidates continue to be nominated by school staff. Stay tuned for our announcement of the winners in mid-April and put our May 20th event on your calendars – it will be a joyful event!!!!

Lunch Bunch

In March the Lunch Bunch students at Arlington Community High School participated in an engaging presentation on the importance of financial planning for the future. Presenter Steven Galko of Licentia, stressed the importance of having savings and answered the students’ questions about spending and credit with great suggestions. In fact, Arlington Community High School Principal Lori Wiggins was already making plans to invite the Arlington Credit Union to the high school so the students could open savings accounts by the end of the session!

The last meeting of the school year on April 18 will focus on the students reflecting on what they’ve learned this year at the Lunch Bunch sessions and what their next steps will be in the coming year. We have been meeting with a great group of young women monthly at the new site of the Arlington Community High School on Fairfax Drive in Ballston since September. These young women each have their own journey that led them to this alternative high school program. We continue to acknowledge and celebrate the fact that they take the time each month to hear from various role models and to consider their own next steps in creating their future selves.

Mary Beth Pelosky and Meg Tucillo, Lunch Bunch

Girls in STEM

Dear AAUW Members,

Barbara Smith, Sara Anderson and I spent a Saturday morning judging the
Northern Virginia Regional Science Fair (as well as many hours the week before
pouring over 100 abstracts written by that many girls in grades 6-12, selecting the best from them, ones we would be able to interview during the judging period on Saturday).

We have made our selection for TWO first place high school girls and TWO middle
school girls Most Outstanding Projects. We three decided among us that this event and recognition is one of our most important efforts to support the AAUW emphasis on STEM and girls’ learning. And, in both categories, it was literally impossible to choose between two projects in both categories that we all deemed as outstanding. Also, three projects were chosen at the high school level for 2nd place and five were chosen at the middle school level for 2nd place (again, impossible to pare those choices down to just three).

What that means for all of us is that we must step up to cover the additional
$1150 to cover those extended choices. If you can help, please contact Terri Doxee at Treasurer4AAUW@gmail.com. Believe me, when you hear them describe their project on Zoom at our April 15 monthly meeting, you will understand why we made the choices that we did.

Also, we are working to set up a Saturday morning event on April 20 for five girls of
our choosing (with APS science teacher input) to participate in a Zoom presentation using a STEMLingo kit to assemble a robot. The recording will be broadcast from National AAUW. They will bring their own computers and each will be given their own STEMLingo kit to use and keep. Currently we are looking for a venue (possibly Lubber Run) and for a technical assistant to be onsite at the time of the Zoom recording presentation, someone to help the girls if they need it while doing the assembly. If you know of someone who might be willing to do this, please contact me at sennsu@gmail.com or 703-244-0175, talk or text.

Susan Senn, Stem Coordinator

AAUW Annual Spring Conference

AAUW Virginia invites you to attend our annual conference in Lynchburg on Saturday, April 13 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Our Keynote Speaker will be Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, the first woman president of the University of Lynchburg. Plan to enjoy a little shopping because vendor tables will be available. Pre-Conference activities include sightseeing tours to be scheduled on Friday, April 12th, starting at 2:00 P.M. to give you a chance to enjoy Lynchburg. For more information, check out the conference website at https://aauw-va.aauw.net/files/2024/01/Conference-2024-Brochure-FINAL.pdf

Public PolicyPublic Policy

A public policy update will be coming soon via email.

AAUW Calendar

Our AAUW Calendar has moved to google which means you can check it online from the website or subscribe and see it directly on your phone or laptop! Additional information about the events is available by clicking the item.  Contact newsarlvaaauw@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Arlington AAUW Executive Committee 2023-25

Term begins July 1, 2023

Note from the Editor – June/July 2024 Newsletter

Any articles for publication should be emailed to newsarlvaaauw@gmail.com with the SUBJECT line: Newsletter by May 15, 2024

MISSION OF AAUW

Advancing equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research.