The month of March is always an important one, as it is the annual celebration of women’s history and the contributions women have made to STEM, activism, politics, literature, art, and more. These contributions are invaluable to our history and culture, and all throughout March they are acknowledged, remembered, and celebrated. It is a month of empowerment and reflection for all.
Women’s History Month first started out as just a week, a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California. In 1978, The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women organized the celebration for the week of March 8, so it would correspond with International Women’s Day. Over time, the significance of this week spread throughout other communities and other parts of the country as more people took part in the celebration. Eventually enough people were behind this movement that in 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued a presidential proclamation declaring the week National Women’s History Week. It became the whole month in 1987, when congress passed public Law 100-9 making March officially Women’s History Month.
Women weren’t – and still aren’t – appreciated and valued for all that they do, so now that March is dedicated to the cause, it is important to learn and understand more. There are women who have made many of these contributions everywhere, including at BHSECQ. Faculty and administrators who work hard everyday to help, empower, and instill these values into the next generation. Teachers such as Sara Machleder, Laura Schneider, Justine Wilson, Melissa Marturano, and many many more have studied a variety of fields. While all these teachers offer knowledge of widely different topics, it is because of them that students at Bard are able to take unique classes and explore what they are passionate about.