Avasara Leadership Institute announced the launch of the Honeywell Center for Advancing Girls in Science, a transformative science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program for bright, young girls in middle and high school.
Funded by Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation (HHSIF), the program will empower 500 Avasara studentswith an experiential, project-based science curriculum. The program seeks to inculcate critical thinking and problem solving mindsets among girls in the age group of 11-18 years. Additionally, the center will support 12,000 students from government and low-budget schools across Pune through Young Scientist STEM camps.
“Gender inequality in education has an outsized effect on girls’ ability to succeed or even pursue fundamental education beyond their adolescent years,” said Roopa Purushothaman, Founder, Avasara Leadership Institute.
Avasara Leadership Institute is setting the bar for girls’ education in the country through a rigorous academic curriculum combined with a strong emphasis on leadership that will empower students to lead lives of distinction and impact.
“Avasara Leadership Institute seeks out the brightest girls, creates pathways to success, and builds a network of opportunity around them,” she added.
“At Honeywell, we understand the importance of STEM education and its potential to help solve some of the toughest challenges that the future will bring,” said Ashish Gaikwad, Managing Director, Honeywell Automation India Limited and Director, HHSIF. “India is home to some of the brightest scientific minds in the world, and our aim is to inspire and nurture these talents for a long time to come through initiatives such as this,” he added.
The new block that houses the Honeywell Center for Advancing Girls in Sciencewas inaugurated by Roopa Purushothaman and Joseph Cubas, co-founders of Avasara Leadership Institute, along with Ashish Gaikwad and Mike Bennett, President, Honeywell Hometown Solutions, and Vice President, Communications, Honeywell.
The school block features classrooms, laboratories, and dormitories. It is built on sustainability principles such as passive heating and cooling, solar panels for off-grid power supply, waste and water recycling, and extensive use of flyash bricks and recycled material.
About Avasara Leadership Institute
Avasara Leadership Institute is a not-for-profit organization which aims to develop the next generation of Indian leaders. Its flagship program, Avasara Academy, is a progressive secondary school focused on educating girls of exceptional promise for a lifetime of leadership and contribution to society.Through a transformative and enriching educational experience, Avasara aims to fully equip students with the skills and knowledge to attend the finest universities, to secure successful careers, and to serve as leaders of positive change in their communities. To learn more, visit www.avasara.in.
