This decline in attitude and achievement in early adolescence influences girls' academic choices in high school, their academic success, and their subsequent career paths. Young adolescent girls can be encouraged to continue in science and technology through sustained mentorships with high school role models. High school youth can provide both affective and academic support to middle-school girls before they have chosen or ruled out career paths that involve math science and technology.
Technology can facilitate such long-term mentorships.
As we approach the 21st century, we find that we have increasingly powerful and accessible communications technology. Sustained mentorships can be supported through electronic, asynchronous, communication, as well face to face interactions. Although an increasing number of libraries and classrooms are equipped with computers educators have not always found effective modes of using technology. Using the technology as a communications vehicle can enable broadening one's support system beyond the typical bonds of classroom or family and enable self-directed learning rooted both in local and global resources. This program, and those similar to it, allows young adolescents to broaden their vision of near term as well as long-term futures and possibilities.