Jackson Heights students celebrate Women’s
History Month with original digital artwork
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
In celebration of Women’s
History Month, students at the
Renaissance Charter School
in Jackson Heights created
digital artwork highlighting
five prominent women of color
pioneers in the STEM fields
who have made a significant
impact in New York.
The Renaissance Charter
School, located at 35-59 81st
St., is one of three schools
participating in the citywide
art campaign in collaboration
with Global Kids, LinkNYC
and the New York Department
of Information Technology and
Telecommunications (DoITT).
The students’ artwork will
be featured on 55 Link Kiosks
across the city from March 1
to 31.
“This month, New Yorkers
are going to encounter some
of the city’s most influential
women in the science and
technology field just by
walking by a Link Kiosk,” said
Samir Saini, commissioner
of the Department of
Information Technology and
Telecommunications. “Global
Kids students have done a
tremendous job telling the
story of how women in STEM
have shaped our city and
country — and we hope that it
will inspire others to join this
growing field.”
Global kids in middle and
high school developed static
portraits through a digital
design project to honor
the five women of color in
STEM fields:
• Jane Cooke Wright
— a pioneering cancer
researcher and surgeon
noted for her contributions to
chemotherapy.
• Marie Maynard Daly —
the first African-American
woman to obtain a Ph.D.
in chemistry in the United
States.
• Mabel Keaton Staupers
— a pioneer in the American
nursing profession.
• Sinah Estelle Kelley — a
chemist who worked on the
mass production of penicillin.
• Susan McKinney Steward
— the third African-American
woman to earn a medical
degree and the first in New
Global kids in middle and high school developed static portraits through a digital design project to honor the women of color in STEM
fields who have made a significant impact in New York. Photos courtesy of Global Kids
York State.
“Last year we had done a
project in support of Black
History Month, and this
month we wanted to do it
for Women’s History Month,
and we decided to honor
women of color in STEM,”
said Matthew Wallace,
senior trainer with Global
Kids. “We took four months
of planning and several
months of drawing to create
the images.”
Estella De La Cruz Melo, 14,
described the project as “very
fun and informal.”
“I learned a lot of
information such as what these
women do and how they’re not
really recognized,” said De La
Cruz Melo.
Luca Timentel, 14, enjoyed
working on the project
learning about the women
who he said should’ve received
credit for their contributions
to the STEM field.
“It’s unfair that these women
didn’t get the recognition that
they deserved,” said Timentel.
“It was a good learning
experience learning about the
women, and I would participate
in a project like this again.”
This is Link’s second
collaboration with Global
Kids, a nonprofit educational
organization for global
learning and youth
development ensuring that
children from underserved
communities have the
knowledge, skills and
experiences to succeed in
school and their communities.
Last year, Global Kids
students at PS 96 produced
portraits of influential black
scientists such as Garrett
Morgan and Mae Jemison in
celebration of Black History
Month. For this project, Global
Kids youth from Manhattan
East School, Washington
Heights Expeditionary
Learning School and
Renaissance Charter High
School conducted research
and selected the five women
to honor.
“Women are too often
overlooked or completely left
out of the history of science and
technology,” said Ruth Fasoldt,
Link’s director of External
Affairs. “We are thrilled to
highlight women innovators
on Links to celebrate their
accomplishments and
significant contributions to
their fields. Links throughout
the five boroughs will showcase
the digital illustrations of
Global Kids students to raise
awareness of these pioneers
and hopefully inspire more
young women along the way.”
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
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