[JaneYoung]

Understanding that it is important to capture the idea very quickly in a comic, I almost feel that it is missing the point. It does achieve the goal of recognizing that the lack of diversity in the engineering field is a problem but – how it arrives to that goal feels dated and narrow.

The struggle for girls’ attention lies in the homes, the schools, the communities they grow up in, and in the media. The recognition and validation of the child’s worth and intelligence is at the heart of this. How many television shows center around the imagination and exploration of the child’s mind, curiosity, and creativity? How many shows showcase the opportunities to build, construct, design, or develop ideas and programs?

A girl doesn’t have to be a boy or think like a boy to be an engineer or scientist. She can be very capable of finding the balance between the analytical approach to problem solving and the nurturing tendency to want to improve and make things better. So can a boy. It doesn’t have to be either/or – it can be discovering, experimenting, encouraging some risk taking in finding solutions to problems and working with the results. Cynette provides an excellent example of this with working through challenges created by her brothers’ removal of her Barbie’s hair and with creating wardrobes.

I was a child who created play villages out of dirt, water, rocks and sticks. My favorite part was building levels of the village and making roads. Finding raw materials to create smooth roads that also provided an effect that was pleasing to the eye and showed attention to detail was what held my interest. My parents provided space, time, and freedom for that activity to occur, summer after summer. Sometimes, my brother would offer suggestions and assistance. We worked together on my villages, sometimes peacefully, sometimes with deep arguments regarding which way the road should turn and if we should dig into the side of the hill for more levels. Often, the arguments reached compromise or agreement and the building continued. Rarely did things come to a halt because of disagreements. My Barbies were safe and sound in their special suitcase with all of their lovely outfits that my mom made for them – ready for some playtime when I finished enjoying the freedom of building and designing villages outside. During high school and college, I found myself involved in building large props for musicals and plays, working as a light tech, and a sound tech while occasionally taking on acting roles in the various productions. I found the acting boring because I liked all of the equipment and how it made things work and look.

When my son got involved in a robotics team, it was one of the first programs for students that made a whole lot of sense to me, providing an opportunity to combine and develop many skills in many areas – not just the technical ones but areas of communication, marketing, and team building. Much like building a village involving lots of levels.