**FIRST EMAIL**/The FIRST Robot Chicks Union

[Amanda Morrison]

Greetings Teams!

FIRST has a number of initiatives underway to increase the participation of girls in our programs. We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Girls Incorporated, we've assembled an advisory committee, we're running some pilot programs for girls in New Hampshire and we're working closely with the Robot Chicks Union (RCU) to see more grassroots efforts take hold.

The FIRST Robot Chicks Union has been re-started by a leadership team of young women on FIRST Robotics teams. Please invite your female team members to join the RCU at their new RCU Yahoo group. The Yahoo group is located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FIRSTRCU/

What is the RCU? - Working with Girls FIRST, the RCU advocates the involvement of females in FIRST. It is the mission of the RCU to inspire girls of all ages to value science, engineering and technology. They provide support for girls on FRC teams, mentoring for girls on FLL teams and numerous programs related to science, engineering, technology and girls.

Why join? - because it's a chance to participate in chats with other young women on FRC teams, to learn what works for them and what doesn't, and to share experiences. Also, you can meet women who have "gone before" you - what's it REALLY like to be a female mechanical engineer in the business world? What kind of problems do you solve and how? - what does an applied physicist do?

Join to find or even start a local chapter where you can participate with other nearby FRC young women on field trips, or events to help inspire the next generation of young women in FIRST.

Why now? - The RCU is readying several summer web events - so sign up now to see the event calendar and get notices for other web-events the RCU is planning.

For more info about what FIRST HQ is doing, please contact Karen Sullivan at karen@usfirst.org.