With March marking the beginning of Women’s History Month, DGS club SWENext is hosting a drive collecting menstrual products.
SWENext, a youth outreach program by the Society of Women Engineers, is a club focused on women in STEM and building a community that supports their love of science and engineering.
The club was introduced to DGS in 2024 and has since supported dozens of students in their passion for STEM. Student leaders of the club recognize the importance of women feeling supported in a male-dominated field, but also recognize that supporting women goes beyond the club itself, leading to the idea for the feminine hygiene product drive.
Junior Lydia Jayne is a Co-President for the club and spoke on the importance of collecting the products as a club centered around supporting women.
“We have always prioritized supporting females in general, and something that we are very passionate about is period advocacy. As any woman knows, feminine hygiene products are not cheap, and we saw our position as a female-focused club as a way to help by providing products for people at a time when they may not be able to afford them,” Jayne said.
Donations will be sent to The Period Collective, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago that distributes menstrual products to places in need. Students can donate any of the items listed on the Period Collective’s website, including menstrual pads, tampons, wipes and fabric that the collective uses to make supply bags.
Aside from product donations, Jayne also notes that students can participate in the drive by simply spreading the word.
“We encourage everyone to tell their friends and classmates about this. We are collecting for a good cause, all while working to end the stigma around periods and feminine hygiene,” Jayne said.
Sophomore Mahaila Peterson serves as secretary for the club, acting as the communication between SWENext students and the administration. Peterson highlights the link between the accessibility of the products and the well-being of women across the community.
“Helping support young women by providing feminine hygiene products is an investment in their futures. Young women are able to be happier and go farther when they feel better, which is something these products allow,” Peterson said.
Beyond its contribution to the Period Collective, the club also hopes to engage in more community outreach to extend to as many girls interested in STEM as possible.
Kelsey Gibney is the sponsor of SWENext and explains the direction they hope to be going in the near future.
“We hope to do more outreach in the future to continue supporting women and youth. We are especially interested in volunteering in elementary or middle school science and engineering programs to encourage younger kids to continue pursuing their interests in the STEM fields,” Gibney said.
SWENext hopes to make the drive an annual tradition as a way to celebrate and recognize Women’s History Month. The club will be accepting donations for the entirety of March, and they may be left at drop-off boxes located across the DGS campus.
