Visitation Academy in Town and Country unveiled its new outdoor learning space, the Owl’s Nest, during a ceremonial opening on Wednesday. The space aims to provide girls with an opportunity to learn and explore nature, conduct science experiments, engage in music, build structures, and read while enjoying the comfort of hammocks. Marlise Albert, the lower school principal, expressed her enthusiasm for the space, emphasizing its role in promoting learning through play.
The concept behind the Owl’s Nest is to boost girls’ confidence, risk-taking abilities, and independence in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). These fields have long suffered from a gender gap in education and the workforce, as highlighted by the United Nations’ Gender Snapshot 2024 report. The report reveals that less than one-quarter of STEM jobs worldwide are held by women, and gender barriers continue to limit their leadership opportunities in technology and innovation.
Increasing girls’ access to STEM education has the potential to drive economic development globally, particularly in critical areas like renewable energy. The report also highlights that women hold 43% of all patents related to energy, but only occupy 32% of the jobs in the field and a mere 16% of senior management positions. Additionally, women are more likely than men to hold jobs that could be replaced by artificial intelligence.
Research indicates that the underrepresentation of women in STEM starts in early childhood, perpetuated by the notion that boys are more interested in math and science. To counteract this stereotype, Visitation Academy and other local Catholic girls’ schools are actively bolstering their STEM curriculum and facilities. Ursuline Academy in Kirkwood offers courses in coding, entrepreneurship, robotics, and microeconomics, along with an eSports team. St. Joseph’s Academy in Frontenac recently established a department for computer science and engineering, and their Weidert Center for Integrated Science opened in 2020. Incarnate Word Academy in Normandy provides STEM offerings such as aviation, forensics, oceanography, astronomy, meteorology, and plate tectonics. Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves inaugurated the Frane Family STEM Center this fall, featuring nearly 8,500 square feet of labs and learning spaces.
School leaders emphasize that investing in STEM is crucial for attracting new students in a competitive Catholic high school market. With the closure of three feeder grade schools this year and declining numbers of Catholics in the region, Catholic families are increasingly considering public schools due to rising tuition costs. Rosati-Kain, the last girls’ high school run by the Archdiocese of St. Louis, became independent in 2023. Tuition fees range from $14,500 at Notre Dame High School in south St. Louis County to $28,820 at Villa Duchesne in Frontenac. Notre Dame recently launched a $5 million fundraising campaign for campus renovations, including the construction of a new 16,000-square-foot STREAM (adding “R” for religion and “A” for art) building by fall 2025. The aim is to modernize educational programming and increase enrollment from the current 264 students to 300 within the next three to five years. The new facilities will feature science classroom labs for biology, chemistry, and physics, a digital arts studio, a fabrication lab for 3D printing and engineering technologies, and a state-of-the-art dance studio.
Mark Bayens, president of Notre Dame High School, expressed excitement about the upcoming changes, emphasizing the focus on providing students with the best facilities and education. The enhancements aim to equip students with the necessary tools to break down stereotypes and contribute meaningfully to a diverse world.