Over the past 12 years, the Girls of Steel FIRST robotics competition team, 3504, has created a pipeline for girls in FRC and STEM. Through this pipeline, we encourage girls to explore STEM at an early age, before there is time for traditional stereotypes to set in and influence them. The many inputs to our pipeline include outreach events, university outreach, the chassis project, and our biggest contributor- our FLL teams, including both FLL Challenge and FLL Explore.
To encourage other teams to create a similar pathway for girls in FRC, we created several resources through which they can gain information to start their own pipeline, specifically through FLL. Contact us at girlsofsteelrobotics@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments.
Resources:
(1) a sample presentation about the basics of FLL to present to possible sponsors or location hosts,
(2) a sample grant proposal
(3) a sample application for the team
(4) Starting an FLL team handout
(5) a sample end of season survey for the team
(6) Starting and Running an FLL Team as a Student was presented at 2018 Steel City Robotics Alliance workshops. For more details, here’s the link to a related FIRST Ladies blog post.
(7) The Girls of Steel presented a session at the FIRST World Championship Conferences on April 24, 2015. Below is the description of the session as well as a link to the slides.
Title: Building a Pipeline for Girls in FRC (v2.42415)
Description: Girls of Steel FIRST robotics team has created a pipeline for girls in FRC and STEM encouraging girls to explore STEM at an early age, before traditional stereotypes set in and influence them. Pipeline inputs include outreach events, the chassis project, and our biggest contributor- FLL teams.
