A group of local girls went to Madison last weekend to learn how building a bridge, performing surgery on an animal or managing a factory are some of many science-related careers within their reach in today's world.

Georgine Erickson, Baraboo School District Gifted and Talented Program secretary, said research shows the level of interest in math and science is similar between boys and girls — until girls make their plans for high school courses.

"The problem seems to arise when they are choosing courses in high school and planning their careers," Erickson said. "They often aren't aware of the options they have or of the courses they need to take in order to prepare for the future."

More than 70 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students registered from Baraboo, Wisconsin Dells and Sauk City to attend the "Expanding Your Horizons" conference of about 80 workshops for more than 300 girls from across the state last Saturday, Erickson said.

"The day's message was clear," Erickson said. "Young women can be whatever they want to be if they plan ahead. That means that girls should be encouraged to take as many math and science courses as possible. They also need to have opportunities to visit a variety of work places, job shadow adults, and visit schools and colleges."

Dr. Karen Mesmer, science department head at Jack Young Middle School, said often by eighth grade, she sees girls who try to downplay their intelligence. She praised the recent program for exposing them to more positive examples.

She said she and four other science teachers in the building act as living examples for girls with an interest in science, and that message is explored in everyday class work.

"(Soon), we're starting a project where kids can choose a research scientist to study," Mesmer said. "I bring in all kinds of scientists and a lot of different examples of people who have different backgrounds, male and female."

Mesmer said public perceptions about women in science have changed since when she was the only woman in her science classes in college.

Haley Brooks, a sixth-grader, said she liked building a catapult and measuring how far a ball flew from it last Saturday. She said she liked engineering, and has not ever thought it was only a job for boys.

Though Mesmer cautioned that some perceptions in the public still linger, and events like the one last Saturday help end them.

Eighth-grader Ashley Ederer said she liked learning about playing tug-of-war with paper and learning about manufacturing.

"I never even knew what manufacturing was before until I got there. I just thought it was building houses and stuff. I thought it was a boy thing, but there were a lot of girls who went to school in college for it. I thought I could too," she said.

Ederer said she loves math, though she doesn't have many friends who do. She said she's now trying to convince her 13-year-old sister that it is cool to solve problems.

Other girls, including seventh-grader Erica Hainz, enjoyed the chance to explore veterinary medicine by seeing a dissection of a pig's heart.

"It was so interesting, because in just talking about what it looks like you don't really get a sense of it. One part I found was in a different spot than I thought," Hainz said.

She said this was her second year in the program and it was a lot of fun once again.

Erickson said girls were encouraged to explore at least three different non-traditional careers and meet other girls with similar interests.

The annual event was made possible with the help of the Baraboo branch of the American Association of University Women, which provided funding for transportation.