ABOUT
PETRI stands for Philanthropy, Education, Teaching, Research, Involvement. Founded in 2011, PETRI is a club of Mercer Island High School girls who seek to empower young women in Kenya and the U.S. through education, science, and friendships. Read more about the organization's projects and work below.
WHAT WE DO
Our work has three parts: science, scholarships, and friendships.
SCHOLARSHIPS
PETRI raises money to send girls to high school in Kenya. The Kenyan government only pays for education through grade 8. The cost of high school for a day scholar is $300 and for boarding school scholars it is $650. For a family that only makes $1 a day, sending a child, much less a girl, to high school is rare. PETRI together with their sister organization Girls to Girls, sponsored 63 students, 10 boys and 53 girls this year.
SCIENCE
PETRI was founded when Mercer Island girls began inviting science speakers to their school and partnered with SeaVuria to spread science knowledge and opportunities. Because of this, PETRI has a focus on science. They hope to encourage young women in Kenya and the U.S. to consider careers in science.
FRIENDSHIPS
The scholarships that PETRI provides are unique in that they do not just offer the funds necessary for school. They also build friendships between girls on Mercer Island and in Taita-Taveta, Kenya. Each PETRI member communicates with one or more scholarship recipients to get to know them and discuss ideas and knowledge.
"When girls are educated, their countries become stronger and more prosperous."
Michelle Obama
