St. Petersburg, FL — St. Petersburg Collegiate High School – St. Petersburg/Gibbs (SPCHS-SP/G) robotics team is tackling the STEM gender gap head-on by launching an all-girls team. Thanks to the initiative by SPCHS-SP/G Chemistry teacher, Janice Smickle, who applied and was awarded funding to give female students the opportunity to take on a robotics club of their own. The initiative aims to empower female students with hands-on experience in building and programming robots, skills that are highly sought after in today’s workforce.
The project, which sought to raise $7,000 for parts and equipment, stems from a noticeable trend on mixed-gender teams where boys often dominate the technical roles of building, programming, and driving the robots. Girls, in contrast, are frequently relegated to documentation and support roles.
“We noticed that the boys usually take over,” said Smickle. “With an all-girl team, the girls must do it all, and they can do it all and be successful when given the chance.”
Goals and Impact
The primary goal of the team, whose name is the Celesteels, is to teach high school students, particularly girls, the essential skills needed to build and program a robot. They also have their sights set on a more immediate challenge: qualifying for the FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship this school year.
This effort aligns with St. Petersburg College (SPC) goals of preparing students for the workforce. The skills learned through robotics, particularly programming in JAVA, are directly transferable to many local companies. The long-term impact is significant, as students who participate will be better prepared to pursue STEM fields at the university level or enter the workforce directly after high school.
“I am so excited to be a part of this robotics team because I enjoy working with other girls who are interested in going into STEM fields, ” said Alina Wasupan, SPCHS-SP/G senior.
The program has already shown promise. Last year, all eight graduating seniors from the team continued their education in a STEM field, with students attending prestigious universities like the University of Florida and the University of Central Florida.
Measuring Success
The success of the new team will be measured in several ways:
- The number of students who join the new all-girls team.
- The number of graduates who continue their education in STEM at a university.
- The team’s achievement of an invitation to the state championship.
This new all-girls robotics team is not just about building robots; it’s about building confidence, fostering technical skills, and paving the way for a new generation of female leaders in STEM.