Hundreds of seventh and eighth grade girls are getting their wings today in Sioux City, and it has nothing to do with flying. Organizer Jane Hey of Morningside College says “WINGS” in an acronym for Women Investigating Science and Mathematics. Hey, a biology professor, says the idea is to get girls more interested in the topics, as she says they often don’t get the encouragement that boys do.Morningside College hosts the conference along with help from Briar Cliff College and Western Iowa Tech Community College. She says girls from all over the Sioux City area participate.She says they have a lot of interest, but limit the participation to around 350 girls. Hey says the girls will hear and work with adult women during the conference.This is the 11th annual conference in Western Iowa.

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