Diversifying FIRST

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• Diversifying FIRST

April 27, 2006
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Diversifying FIRST Agenda

1. Overview of Girls Connect
2. NH Partners
3. Workshop Goals
4. The Facts
5. How It Works
6. Future Plans
7. Why Get Involved
8. How To Get Started

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Girls Connect Overview
FRC
Girls Connect is a one-day workshop that
introduces girls to LEGO Mindstorms in
preparation for FIRST LEGO League. During the
event, girls work with a team and learn how to
build and program a LEGO robot and compete in a
friendly competition at the end of the day.
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NH Girls Connect Overview History
FRC
2003(2 days) 1 workshop, 15 students 2004(2-Days)
1 workshop, 52 students 2005(1-Day) 4
workshops, 200 students 2006(1-Day) 4 workshops
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Workshop Goals
FIRST

• Introduce girls to science, engineering and
  technology
• Get more girls involved with FIRST LEGO League
  and create gender equity on teams

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Workshop Goals
FRC

• Girls Connect is designed to
• Encourage girls to get involved with FLL (NOT to
  DIScourage boys!)
• Give girls a single-sex experience to remove the
  intimidation of being a minority

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NH GC Partnering Organizations
As we expand the program, we would like to
replicate the unique partnership we have formed
in NH
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FIRST

• Partnership Contribution
• Brings curriculum and expertise
• Will support partners replicating Girls Connect
  programs
• Seeks financial support

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NH Commission on the Status of Women

• Partnership Contribution
• Increase girls interest in nontraditional fields
  such as science, math and technology and,
  therefore, improve their future status as women
  in the state of New Hampshire

Note Each state has their own Commission on the
Status of Women
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Robot Chicks Union

• Partnership Contribution
• Recruit girls involved with the FIRST Robotics
  Competition to act as positive role models for
  Girls Connect participants

Note The RCU has local chapters throughout the
US and Canada
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Girl Serving Organizations

• Partnership Contribution
• Girls-serving organizations such as Girls
  Incorporated and Girl Scouts are invited to
  participate.
• These organizations also bring knowledge and
  experience with working with girls

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Budget Items

• Participant Medallions
• Awards Certificates
• Robot sets
• Computers
• Playing fields
• Lunch for volunteers
• Pizza
• FLL Scholarships
• T-shirts (optional expense)

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NH Funding

• Verizon
• BAE Systems
• Alcoa Foundation
• NHSTE
• MAGiC
• OSRAM Sylvania WISE
• ASME Diversity Action Grant
• UNH Parents Association
• Nominal fee per team

FRC
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The Facts

• In New Hampshire
• 19.2 of the 2002 FLL participants were girls
• 30.3 of the 2003 FLL participants were girls
• Girls Connect has already served over 300 girls
• Girls Connect has seeded 18 all-girl teams

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How It Works

• Register as teams of 5 with one chaperone
• Teams build the FIRST Place Scooter and program
  mini-challenges
• Teams apply their new skills and prepare for
  friendly competition
• Teams display their progress, win awards, and
  celebrate with pizza

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Future Plans

• Distribute Girls Connect toolkits so the workshop
  can be replicated in other states
• Considering designing a toolkit for FIRST Connect
  to focus on other minority groups

FRC
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Why Get Involved

• Elementary school interest, participation, and
  abilities between boys and girls are equal
• Middle school Girls confidence and
  participation in science, technology,
  engineering, and math drops dramatically in the
  middle-school years.
• 8th grade girls confidence in math and science
  has eroded significantly, despite performing as
  well as boys.
• High School girls elect out of STEM when the
  courses are electives

FRC
If youre not confident in your skills, youre
not likely to participate in the activity.
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How to Get Started

• Sign up for a toolkit TODAY!
• The toolkit will include
• Directions and hints for running a Girls Connect
  Workshop
• Registration Forms
• Award Certificates
• Keep in touch with Karen Sullivan at FIRST

FRC
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Questions?
FIRST
I learned that girls are the future of
technology