Zoey's Room is an online education program that teaches girls ages 10-14 about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). It features a character named Zoey who hosts an online chat room and encourages girls to complete challenges called "Tec-Treks" on various STEM topics. The program aims to make STEM engaging for girls and increase their interest in related careers. It also prioritizes internet safety and monitors interactions between members. The program has seen growth in participating girls across the United States since its founding. Evaluations found that girls who participate demonstrate strong knowledge of STEM concepts covered in the program.

1. Zoey's Room
A program provided by Platform Shoes Forum
What is Zoey’s Room?
Zoey’s Room (www.zoeysroom.com) is a model online education program
developed by Platform Shoes Forum to teach 10- to 14-year-old girls about
science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Hailed nationwide as the
leader in safe, collaborative learning communities for kids, Zoey’s Room takes a
proactive approach to ensuring the safety of our members.
Program Features
Fewer than a dozen Science, Technology, Math, Engineering (STEM) websites
are currently available online for middle school girls right now. Of them all,
Zoey’s Room is the only STEM website that features a multicultural character
“Zoey” who appeals to both rural and urban girls. Hip cyber-hostess “Zoey”
hosts her own chat room for girls every day after school. She encourages girls to
explore STEM topics through fun challenges called Tec-Treks, which expand
their knowledge on a range of 21st century skills, including Internet research, databases, word
processing, science, business math, digital and video proficiency, robotics, engineering and
website design. The more challenges girls complete, the more points they earn toward big prizes
such as wireless mice from Logitech, a Fremont, CA-based device manufacturer. Additionally,
each month, Zoey leads informative chats with “Fab Female” role models in STEM professions.
This one-on-one connection, along with the collaborative community of the website, encourages
girls to become more interested in STEM careers.
Internet Safety #1 Priority
How do we protect girls from encountering just anybody on our site? We’ve partnered with
IDology, Inc. to ensure all adults who register a girl for an account are subject to an identity
verification. Before confirming a girl’s membership to Zoey's Room, our process verifies the
data collection of adult registrants to ensure they are who they say they are. Past the access
point, Zoey's Room staff moderate and monitor the chat room and message boards every day for
ongoing protection of its members. Additionally, Zoey’s Room staff provide live workshops for
girls, parents and educators on a range of topics including Internet safety, cyberbullying
prevention and eMentoring.
Who’s Joining Across the Country?
Zoey’s Room was launched in 2002 with the endorsement of former Maine Governor Angus
King. In 2005, the website launched nationally, with the New England Regional YWCA as its
pilot partner. Zoey’s Room continues to build and strengthen alliances with other youth-serving
organizations to license, endorse and promote Zoey’s Room as a safe alternative for girls online.
Currently there are 24 after-school Zoey’s Room clubs across the nation with more than 800 girls
expected to be members by 2008.
For more information go to www.zoeysroom.com and sign a girl up for a $20/year membership
or $2.95/month. If you’d like to speak to the Zoey’s Room staff more about the program, please
call (207) 594-1842 or email staff@zoeysroom.com
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2. Zoey's Room
A program provided by Platform Shoes Forum
ICON FEATURE
By clicking on Zoey, the girls have access to the ZR Lobby, a secure,
Zoey moderated chat room for Zoey’s Room members only.
Here, members can read the Weekly Letter from Z, which is Zoey’s
Laptop blog to members about Zoey’s life and what’s happening in the world of
STEM. An archive of past letters is available.
Plasma Above the dresser is the Member Profile where a girl has her own
“room” within Zoey’s Room to keep track of her stuff—i.e., her ID
Screen name and password, her onscreen identity and her Tec-Trek points.
The mirror leads to W3 Links, a page that provides current links to girl-
Mirror friendly websites under such headings as “Girls’ Schtuff,” “Techie
Chickies,” “Math n’ Science” and “E-Pals’ Showcase.”
Click on the key to access the Tec-Trek,™ the educational component
of Zoey’s Room, which are fun challenges in STEM. Once a girl
Keyhole completes an online activity or off-line challenge, she is eligible to win
points toward big tech prizes such as wireless mice and The Sims.
Message This moderated message board for Zoey’s Room members only keeps
girls all over the United States connected. Here, they can rant, rave and
Board ask Zoey and other girls questions by posting messages on the Z-Board.
Video This leads to E-Pal’s Showcase, featuring the most creative and original
digital STEM projects made by Zoey’s Room members who have
Camer a completed Tec-Treks. The projects are divided into four categories:
writing, digital images, video clips and websites.
Pixel is Zoey’s furry little friend who brings cool science, tech,
engineering and math toys and gadgets back to the Room for girls to
Pixel evaluate. Most often, the gadgets are highlighted products of our
sponsors. If a girl chooses, she can anonymously submit direct feedback
about each gadget to make products more “girl-friendly.”
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3. Zoey's Room
A program provided by Platform Shoes Forum
Tec-Treks™ are fun, customized challenges that adhere to national learning standards and focus on topics
specific to that program's "Room". Each of our Tec-Treks™ has a theme, a story and a measurable goal.
The Tec-Treks™ are comprised of beginner-to-advanced levels labeled: Tec-Newby, Tec-Traveler and
Tec-Savvy.
The Te c-Trek ™ Learnin g Model
Each Tec-Trek™ follows the same flow of
information.
Whaddya Know? Introduces kids to terms
and concepts.
Story Through metaphorical stories, kids
learn about the inner workings of a particular
topic.
Activity Kids participate in online activities
related to story.
Challenge Kids step away from the computer
to do an offline, hands-on challenge related to
story.
Here is a sample of Zoey’s Tec-Treks™ in science, technology, engineering and math.
Zoey’s Room Description Description of Description Goal/Outcome
Tec Trek ™ Of Story Activity of Challenge
Science The mystery On www.salariya.com, girls Girls create a time To educate about
The 3,000-Year- surrounding Queen search for answers on capsule that will mummies and
Old Queen Nefertiti leads Zoey archeology and allow future archeology by creating
to explore mummification. archaeologists to “artifacts” for future
archeology. discover clues about generations to
each girl’s life. discover.
Technology Zoey teaches the girls Girls create a unique fictional Girls create a To foster creative
Freaky Fables how to create silly story using an online Mad Lib- storyboard used in writing online by
stories to keep that type story generator. film and video based using storyboard
creative spark alive. on the Mad Lib-type techniques, and
story in the activity uploading digital
images.
Engineering Mavis is a Mobile Girls find answers about robot Girls create a robot To learn about
Mavis the Mobot Robot who Zoey sensors through website hand mockup out of function and design
witnesses performing www.robotsandus.org cardboard and rubber of robotics by
valuable human tasks bands. constructing a
even though she is an homemade robot hand.
“outcast.”
Math A Tec-Trek™ with a Through Girls calculate how To introduce fiscal
Gimme Some Latina focus. Maya www.channelone.com, girls do many years it would responsibility by
Credit! ( Déme un helps her older sister a credit card simulator to take to pay off credit simulating debt,
cierto crédito!) get out of major estimate their “debt.” card debt. percentages, income,
credit card debt. and expenses.
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4. Zoey's Room
A program provided by Platform Shoes Forum
Zoey’s Room Members
“Butterfly”
“Butterfly,” 14, comes from a Zoey’s Room YWCA club in Springfield, MA. This is her
second year in the Zoey’s Room club and she has moved beyond connecting and
chatting, and more into Tec-Treks. “She has great potential,” says Club Leader,
Marlene DeJesus. “She’s like a powerhouse on Treks—we can’t stop her. She’s got great
strengths.” DeJesus notes that the public schools the girls go to are busy trying to meet
academic standards and lack extracurricular activities. “The girls are doing Tec-Treks
and engaging in activities that makes them think. They are beginning to perform in a setting that school isn’t
bringing out in them,” says DeJesus.
Zoey and her online friend “Maya” have been instrumental in “Butterfly’s” commitment to working hard in the
club, says DeJesus. At home, most of the girls don’t have computers or online opportunities to talk to other
girls. ZR’s moderated chatroom, plus the warmth and welcoming nature of Zoey and her Friends have “given
them a healthy but safe place to express themselves.” The Gals Around The Globe feature highlighting Ghana
girls made “a big impression” upon them, says DeJesus. “It was a cultural eye-opener.” Additionally, the Fab
Females, particularly the online connection to women from Microsoft, “was powerful for them.”
“Islandlover”
“Islandlover,” 14 lives on Vinalhaven, a remote island off the coast of Maine—with a
population of around 1,235. With little to do after school other than sports and occasional
activities, island kids often find themselves socially isolated and yearning for interesting
challenges. Beyond the delight of meeting other girls from other states through the safe,
Zoey’s Room chat room—“Islandlover” is excited about Zoey’s Room because of her interest
in math and science. “In fact, she’s gifted, I’d say,” said her club leader Pat Paquet. “She
spends every summer at a science camp and I would think when she gets older, she will go into a career of the
sciences.” Already she’s in 8th grade and poised to be taking 10th grade Algebra. She’s building her “robot
hand” through the Mavis the Mobot Tec-Trek™ and has done about 11 Tec-Trek™ activities in all categories:
science, technology, engineering and math. “She’s self-motivated,” says Paquet, who adds, “she would’ve been
happy to just to do [parts of] Zoey’s Room herself, but she looks forward to coming to the club every week.”
Two highlights for “Islandlover” and her club have been the chance to chat with the Fab Female Diane Cowen,
a lobster scientist (and fellow islander) as well as the chance to meet their real-life ZR friends from the
mainland this spring.
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5. Zoey's Room
A program provided by Platform Shoes Forum
Zoey’s Room Testimonials
…via email and online posts
From Girls’ Points of View, as Zoey’s Room Club Members:
Zoey's Room is the best! I got a behind-the-scenes look at Zoey's Room at a camp and it changed me forever. I
always felt so alone before, like I had nobody to talk or confide in. In Zoey's Room, I can let it all out and be
completely ...ME."
“Math is my favorite subject – I’m (now) interested in numbers and problem solving”
We need more ideas like Zoey’s Room; being a girl is hard and we need all the support we can find since it's hard
to discover that at home, with our friends, or our schools."
"I think that Zoey's Room is the best idea in the whole entire world. Girls don't have an interactive website that
targets what we want and need to know. My parents never talked with me much about growing up so I was often
left in the dark. On Zoey's Room, a safe environment is provided where questions can be answered and girls
actually have a voice."
From Parents’ and Mentors’ Points of View:
"My daughter enjoys participating in Zoey's Room, it gives her a chance to get together with friends, meet new
ones, and discuss a variety of topics. I, as a parent feel secure knowing she's online but in a safe
environment, now that's priceless.”
“Zoey’s Room has been a wonderful experience for both my own daughter as well as 40 or more students I have
mentored over the last three years as members of our school district's Zoey’s Room Club.”
"It is indeed a pleasure for me to reiterate my support of Zoey's Room. This creative approach to reaching pre-
teen girls is one of the most exciting that I have seen in my twenty-five plus years of education."
One Club leader reports, “Now (the girls) have more confidence in themselves – when they come to my lab to do
things, my Zoey’s girls are the leaders – they will be up and showing the other kids what to do.”
Another Club leader: “I gotta tell you, our girls are loving this club. The first Tec-Trek they decided to do was “Girls
Can’t Do Math?!” A couple of them were hesitant because they were more comfortable with English, but then they
got into it as a group and helped each other solve the problem in the Z-Activity. Then they came up with their own
businesses and experimented with fonts and did the budgets.”
From Lyn Mikel Brown, Ph.D., Colby College: "As a developmental psychologist, educator, and scholar of girls’ and
women's development, I highly commend the creators of Zoey's Room for their originality, their passionate
commitment to the healthy development of girls, and the wonderfully creative way in which they have used
technology to educate and encourage girls to expand their horizons."
Mike Rancourt, parent and IBM employee: “I think this is a fantastic outlet for teenage girls. Raising a teenage girl
in this millennium is very tough indeed. Because of the work I do for IBM I understand what's out there and so I do
my best to keep on top of what my kids surf for on the internet. This takes a lot of the pressure off me knowing
she's participating in this and it also allows me to encourage her to make progress on the site versus having to
engage in negative conversations for browsing sites I don't approve of. Great job!”
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6. Zoey's Room
A program provided by Platform Shoes Forum
ZR Evaluation Overview of 2006-2007
Benchmark and Final Survey (100 members sampled)
GENERAL
Average grade level of girls: Average age
5th grade (37.6%) 11-12
80.5 % of the girls have been members of Girls who participated in ZR via an after-
Zoey’s Room since the 06-07 school year. school club (46%) and those who participated
on their own at home. (54%).
When asked the answers to very specific science, technology, engineering and math questions
we put to them in the survey, the majority of girls got 12 out of 13 of the answers right—proving
that they actually learned terms, concepts and principles of certain STEM topics by doing the
various Tec-Treks.
Science
60% knew the definition of a “nanosponge.”
58% knew the definition of “bunny suit” in terms of what scientists wear in lab rooms.
65% knew the difference between toxic and not toxic chemical household products to the
environment.
Technology
65% could identify a jpeg photo.
54% knew that DSL was the fastest mode of connection.
89% knew the correct definition of “www”.
71% knew the correct way to upload a digital image to a computer.
Engineering
87% knew the definition of a mobot.
70% knew what function robot sensors carry out.
70% knew what kind of tasks mobots can perform that humans can’t.
Math
89% knew the difference between short-term and long-term savings.
41% knew the correct formula for a person’s net worth (46% got it wrong).
INTERNET SAFETY
95% said they felt “very safe” on ZR’s chat room
8% said they felt as safe on Zoey’s Room as other chat rooms.
0% said they felt “unsafe” at any time.
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