[jarowe]

We have a team of about 50 students and about 5 are girls. This is definitely an improvement over past years, with only 1-2 girls on the team.

With such a large team, we always operate with the intent of helping students find their specific interest (mechanical, electrical, software), and then dividing into sub teams. Students who want to be involved are always given something to do. If someone comes to one of the team leaders, we try to either find a task for them or involve them in whatever we are working on. Because we have so many people involved, it is often difficult for us to seek out the students aren't working on anything and give them tasks. The classroom we build in often gets divided into 2 parts-- the shop area where the robot is being manufactured and the class area where students are hanging around and talking-- and unfortunately, this is usually where the girls on our team are. Often, we get frustrated by students who come to meetings and do nothing, but we neglect the reasons for their hesitation and lack of participation.

My father is a mechanic and has had me working with power tools since I was old enough to hand a wrench to him when he asked. I've built robots from kits and out of legos since I was 10. I took apart a tv in our basement because I wanted to know how it worked. I took programming classes and joined the robotics team of my own volition. I've been commended on my work in the team, and the fact that I'll be studying engineering. (I've never felt patronized for this-- I've always felt like I've been supported and appreciated.) I'm going to go to U of M in the fall to study engineering-- and I probably would have done this without FIRST.

But, most of the girls on our team aren't at that point. They were recruited to our team as sisters of team members or as friends, and are on the team accidentally. They haven't used power tools before, they don't know what pneumatics are, they haven't seen a line of code in their lives. Because of this, they are afraid of working on the robot. They don't want to mess something up, they don't want to be made to feel stupid. However, we do try to encourage the girls--and all the rookies-- to take a more active role in the robot construction. I think we still have more work to do in this department though. We're going to try to set up some days to train students on machines ahead of time (we ran out of time in the preseason this year) and perhaps get a summer project going to get people more involved and experienced in construction.

In terms of special scholarships and admittance to colleges based on gender or other minority status, I think that it's pretty obvious that these programs are in place to encourage and HELP girls to make it into engineering. There is a social system in place that has discouraged the participation of women since before the girls currently on FIRST teams were born. Since elementary school when we first learned how to divide, math problems are geared towards boys. They ask us to calculate batting averages in baseball, not the average score at a gymnastics match. (I'm not saying that girls don't play baseball or guys don't participate in gymnastics. I'm just speaking to a cultural paradigm.) The average 8 year old girl thinks that she has a better chance of becoming the next Britney Spears than an engineer. (I almost wanted to say the next Dean Kamen, Woodie Flowers, Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, etc. but then I realized, there aren't really any role models for girls in science and technology, are there?) FIRST is trying to fight this, the Society of Women Engineers is trying to fight this-- as are numerous groups dedicated to increasing the number of women engineers and scientists. I have applied for many of these scholarships, and there are many more that I am ineligible to apply for. But, those other scholarships are created by people with other interests and passions. I believe that those groups have the right to spend their money how they choose. All of their causes are worthy, as is the goal of increasing the number of women in the sciences.

Being a girl on the team has been tough at times, and I've fought a little discrimination, but for the most part, we all learn a lot and have tons of fun together. I know that the vast majority of our team comes back every year, and this includes the girls. We work together, we compete together, we get together and play laser tag and watch movies together. It's been a very good experience for all of us.