Engaging women in FIRST

[Jujubee]

So in response to your idea that having girls at recruitment, I definitely think that in our culture, having a mix of both guys and girls is crucial. Generally, girls tend to give off the vibe that if they can do it then so can you, regardless of your gender. Also, I think that women have an easier time connecting to other women because they just want to fit in, whether they are still in high school or are coming on as a mentor. Once you get a girl talking, the CRITICALLY important point is making them feel important and wanted.

For example, when I joined the team, the one thing that I DIDN'T want to do was mechanical. Guess where I ended up? I didn't really have any friends in that subgroup, nor did I really have too much desire to build things with my hands. However, the lead mentor at the time made it his mission to make me see what I was missing by banning it based on the gender who dominated it. He succeeded. One of my friends had a very similar situation with electrical.

Just having a mentor call you over and genuinely be interested in your skills and teaching you things is vastly more important than anyone's gender. A girl is the worm on the emotional hook, but what will always reel someone in is applying to human nature's need for acceptance and recognition.