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>>> BACK NOW AT 8:51.
A RECENT FEDERAL REPORT FOUND
ONE-THIRD OF EIGHTH GRADERS LACK
BASIC SCIENCE SKILLS, AND GIRLS
LAG BEHIND BOYS.
"TODAY'S" JENNA WOLF FOUND A
GROUP USING A POPULAR GROUP TO
CHANGE SOMEWHAT.
>> YOU DON'T NEED AN ADVANCED
DEGREE IN ROCKET SCIENCE OR DO
YOU?
HERE ROCKET SCIENCE IS NOT
ENCOURAGED BUT ALSO REQUIRED.
>> BY NIGHT SHE'S A DANCER FOR
THE SACRAMENTO KINGS.
BY DAY THIS PROFESSIONAL
CHEERLEADER SURROUNDS HERSELF BY
SCIENCE.
>> WHO CARES IF I'M A
CHEERLEADER.
IT'S FUN.
>> WENDY BELONGS TO A RAPIDLY
GROWING NUMBER OF WOMEN IN THE
COUNTRY KNOWN AS SCIENCE
CHEERLEADER.
THEY PERFORM DURING NBA, NFL AND
OTHER PRO SPORTS TEAMS WHILE
ALSO PURSUING A CAREER IN THE
ADVANCED SCIENCES.
HERE AT THE USA SCIENCE AND
ENGINEERING FESTIVAL IN
WASHINGTON, D.C., WENDY AND A
TEAM OF FORMER AND CURRENT PRO
CHEERLEADERS ARE OUT OF THEIR
LAB COATS AND IN THEIR DANCEWEAR
TO PROMOTE, WELL, SCIENCE.
AMONG THIS GROUP, THERE'S A
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST, A DENTIST
AND A PHLEBOTOMIST.
THIS CO-CAPTAIN IS WITH THE
WASHINGTON REDSKINS CHEERLEADER
AND SHE JUST GOT HER DEGREE IN
CELLULAR MOLECULAR MANAGEMENT.
>> SOUNDS MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT
IS.
>> Reporter: SEVERAL SCIENCE
CHEERLEADERS DANCE FOR THE
WASHINGTON WIZARDS.
SUZAN IS AN ENGINEER AT EXXON
MOBILE AND DEVIN IS AN I.T.
SPECIALIST AND LAUREN IS A
FINANCIAL ANLY.
WHAT'S THE FINANCIAL ANALYST?
BETTER LET HER EXPLAIN
>> I WORK ON, YOU KNOW, BASE
PLATFORM PROGRAMS AND ADVANCED
CONCEPTING TECHNOLOGY.
>> Reporter: DARLENE, A FORMER
CHEERLEADER FOR THE 76ers,
FOUNDED THE GROUP TO GET THE
GENERAL PUBLIC RETHINKING THE
IMAGE OF SCIENTISTS.
>> WE KNOW FROM THE NATIONAL
SCIENCE FOUNDATION, AN
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY DREW THE
WOMAN SCIENTIST AS SAD AND
LONELY, AND THEY ARE ANYTHING
BUT SAD AND LONELY LOOKING
FEMALE SCIENTISTS, SO I THINK
THAT'S PART OF THE DRAW IS JUST
THE SURPRISE FACTOR.
>> Reporter: WOMEN MAKE UP
ALMOST HALF OF THE U.S. WORK
FORCE, BUT A WHOLE LESS THAN A
QUARTER OF ALL SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING AND
MATH JOBS.
THAT'S WHY CHEERLEADERS WANT TO
PUT THE KIBOSH ON THE IDEA OF
NERDY, LONELY FEMALE SCIENTISTS.
>> IT DOESN'T MAKE ME FEEL GOOD
THAT KIDS THAT YOUNG ARE BUYING
INTO THAT STEREOTYPE BECAUSE
IT'S DEFINITELY NOT TRUE.
>> Reporter: WHEN WE CAUGHT UP
WITH THESE CHEERLEADERS THEY
WERE WORKING ON A
RECORD-BREAKING PROJECT, LEADING
SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN A
CHEER STRONG ENOUGH FOR THE U.S.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TO MEASURE.
>> GIVE ME A "T."
>> Reporter: SO IT DIDN'T QUITE
MEASURE ON THE RICHTER SCALE DID
ENROLL ALMOST 75 SCHOOLS IN A
LONG-TERM GOVERNMENT PROJECT TO
MONITOR EARTHQUAKES.
WHILE THEY ALL CLEARLY HAVE
PASSION FOR SCIENCE, THEY ALSO
HAVE A LITTLE PATIENCE WITH ME.
GIVE ME ONE FORMULA.
>> ANY OF THOSE.
>> Reporter: WHAT SHE SAID.
I TRUST YOU.
RIGHT NOW -- STILL DON'T KNOW
WHAT SHE SAID.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S 200 FORMER AND
CURRENT PROFESSIONAL
CHEERLEADERS REGISTERED WITH THE
SCIENCE CHEERLEADERS SITE.
TO FIND OUT WITH SOME SCIENCE
RESEARCH YOU DON'T NEED A DEGREE
TO HELP OUT, HEAD TO TODAY.COM.
EXPONENTIALLY SMARTER THAN I