A decision to become a mentor, is a decision to change lives. By looking back, it is clear that a couple of small decisions changed the course of my life and the lives of those around me. A simple decision to take a programming class in high school, started a chain of events that led me to become the robotics mentor I am today.

I grew up in a large family and it was difficult for my parents to juggle their myriad of responsibilities with our many requests for afterschool and weekend activities. It was impossible for all of us to go in different directions at the same time; as a result, our opportunities primarily came through “extra” classes offered at school or things we could with family or friends. The school made a small decision to have a math teacher offer computer programming. In tenth grade, I took that class and found that programming was a challenging and fun way to combine two things that came naturally to me: math and art. The school’s decision + my decision = I pursued a career as a computer programmer.

Fast forward a few years, I realized that the school my children attended had a lot of technology: computers for typing, drawing and learning Excel: but, no technology or engineering classes! I looked for something that would provide the missing T and E from my kids STEM education and found it: competitive robotics. There was one small problem: there were funds for after school robotics, but no robotics teacher. I made a decision: I volunteered.

Many years have passed and I have continued to be involved in robotics. As a woman, I have noticed that many robotics teams are missing a valuable asset: girls! Robotics is amazing, creative, fun and enjoyable: why would any girl choose to miss out? The more I observe, the more I wonder if girls are consciously choosing to miss out or if they simply lack the right opportunities….

It has been my observation that robotics teams with good female involvement are a direct result of one or more of these decisions:

1. The school requires all students to learn robotics in a regular classroom. An area school teaches a semester of VEX robotics to all eighth grade students during shop class: their shop teacher also coaches the FIRST robotics team. The male/female ratio on the FIRST team is the same as the male/female ratio of their average classroom.
2. Another area school has good male/female ratio's. They don’t require robotics, but they run two teams: boys (male coach) and girls (female coach).
3. As a general rule, I have noted that any competitive team that has at least one women working alongside the team in the pits, that team usually has 50% or more females.

Until K12 schools provide technology and engineering education to all students, women can make some small decisions that will have a huge impact. One way is to become involved in a quality robotics program. A word of caution, not all robotics are created equal and a decision to purchase robots doesn’t automatically result in STEM education any more than a school that purchases a lot of technology is guaranteed to provide quality technology education! I have mentored five different robotics programs and highly recommend FRC, FLL, FIRST and VEX: all of them have quality robots and excellent educational curriculum.

If you want a change at your school, it will take some work. Although a well-rounded robotics program is very educational and includes technology, engineering, problem solving, reading, writing and mathematics, many schools don't know what they are missing. If you can influence your school to include robotics for all, I recommend they consider using FIRST robots and educational curriculum, it starts as young as preschool. Another quality robotics education is available through VEX IQ.

Whether you work in a school or in a club: share your experiences with others. Encourage other women to become mentors alongside you. Choose to become actively involved in making tomorrow better for ALL of our kids - girls included!
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​This blog was written by Christine a volunteer and judge at FIRST events. If you are interested in blogging for FIRST Ladies, click here to sign up on the schedule!

On November 2nd, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities hosted Gopher CSE, an event co-run by the College of Engineering, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and the office of admissions. My friend and I both applied to Minnesota for STEM majors, me for computer science and her for computer engineering, so we decided to go together.

All of the girls gathered in the Coffman Memorial Union and we went into the auditorium where we got to listen to two presentations from two professors at the university, Dr. Victoria Interrante and Dr. Maria Gini. Dr. Interrante discussed the research some of her students have been doing involving measuring how humans interpret spaces in virtual reality. Dr. Gini talked about the different uses of artificial intelligence including robots that can be used to help kids with autism interact with others.

After the presentations, we walked to Bruininks Hall where we got to eat dinner. My friend and I sat down next to three other girls who were students at the university. We got to ask a lot of questions about what the classes were like and what kind of projects they were working on. Then, we walked over to the mechanical engineering building where we got to see a laser cutter and made picture frames. While we worked, we got to socialize with the other girls. There were a wide range of interests from computer science to environmental science, and I got to meet another girl who is also on an FTC team.

I had never toured Minnesota before Gopher CSE, so the event gave me a feel for the campus while also giving me insight into the particular field I was interested in.

​This blog was written by Georgia from FTC Team Vertigo (FTC 6287). If you are interested in blogging for FIRST Ladies, click here to sign up on the schedule!

Hi, my name is Melissa Ryan and I am the lead coach for The Golden Ratio team (FTC #12682). This is my fourth year as an FTC coach and I love seeing how FIRST improves the confidence and skills of all students.  My topic today is the importance of behaving like a professional.  Professionalism extends to every aspect of life and work. Professionalism and respect starts with you and starts early.  You CAN stand out in a crowd, on your team, in your classroom or clubs,  and open doors of opportunity for yourself through your actions no matter what your age.
Getting people to take you seriously and notice your talents and potential begins with your own attitude because people are usually going to see you through your own lens.  How do you treat yourself and what kind of “mind food” do you eat?  It’s true, just like programming a robot, Garbage In, Garbage Out (GIGO).  I encourage you all to be your best self every day by starting  your day off positively through some of these ideas:

• Input Humor, Inspiration, and Learning Each Day (Ideas: Listen to comedians in the morning, listen to TED talks in the morning, YouTube Motivational Channels)
• Pray for a positive spirit or for a learning experience to bless you that day
• Write down your blessings from yesterday
• Exercise

Also, make sure you are using your time wisely and not  fritter your time away on endless social media pursuits.  The Internet is awesome for learning new concepts and technical skills but it can also be a black hole of wastefulness if you’re not careful.  Some more recommendations for how to become someone whom people are drawn to and respect are:

• Eliminate Toxic People and Environments from your daily interactions.
• Dress like you intend to be taken seriously and professionally.
• Be a light in the room not a downer or energy drainer
• Don’t gossip about others, if you have been offended by someone speak with them directly and politely, perhaps there has been a misunderstanding.
• Don’t over promise something. But, when you do make a commitment to get tasks done be sure you actually DO IT by the deadline so you become known as a person that can be trusted and relied upon.
• Reply to emails, texts, and group chats from your coaches, mentors and project members to show them respect and you’ll get respect in return.  When someone has to keep reminding you to respond to a project discussion or complete a task you come off as immature and irresponsible.  Remember, you may want a recommendation or a job from one of these people someday and your reputation will precede you.

 
Will Durant once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”  Everything you do repeatedly forms a good or bad habit. Therefore:

• Are you a gossiper or an encourager?
• Are you an excuse maker or a change maker on your team or in your classes?
• Are you a diplomat or a divider of people?
• Do you take ownership of excellence in your work or just do enough to get by?

 
The more you work out the muscles of excellence and goodness the stronger and more noticeable they will become to others.   The more you practice negativeness and excuse making the easier that will become too.  Hence:
 

• Eliminate Victim Mentality
• Look Ahead Not Behind
• Stop Making Excuses
• Be Dependable, Trustworthy, and Responsible (Take Ownership)
• Acknowledge Failures but Reach for Success
• Advocate for Yourself and Control Your Narrative
• Act Like a Winner and You’ll Become One
• Have grit.  Grit is the perseverance to keep on going to reach a goal even when it gets difficult. It’s viewing failure as a learning experience not a stop sign.

In conclusion, becoming someone people view as “professional” is far more about developing the right attitude and right habits than it is about being the most knowledgeable person in the room.  If you practice the above traits, I guarantee you that you’ll see success and self-confidence flourish! 
This blog was written by Melissa from FTC Team Golden Ratio Robotics (FTC 12682). If you are interested in blogging for FIRST Ladies, click here to sign up on the schedule!

​Robotic Facts That You Should Know
Anyone familiar with science fiction knows how important robots are to our vision of the
future. Ask the average person to describe what life will be like in 100 years, and the chances
are good that he or she will mention robots. But in most modern manufacturing facilities, the
future is already here. Thanks to advancements made by engineers, programmers and robotics manufacturers, automated systems currently are a big — and essential — part of industry. That role is expected to grow even larger as time goes on, and for good reason.
Robots offer a number of advantages in industrial environments. Not only can they perform
heavy-duty tasks that would be nearly impossible for people to do, but they can do so
thousands of times without making a mistake or suffering physical consequences, such as
repetitive strain injuries. They also enhance safety by taking on some of the most dangerous
jobs in factories and warehouses. Although many people think of them as a part of the future that hasn’t yet arrived, robotic workers are making a major difference in industrial settings right now. But because they’re considered futuristic rather than practical, people have a several misconceptions about robots and their use. To see some of these myths busted, take a look at the accompanying infographic.

Author bio: Julie Workman is Marketing Manager for Acieta, which specializes in industrial
robotics automation that helps North American manufacturers be globally competitive.

5 Ways to Build Your Oratory Skills
One of the biggest fears that many people still have nowadays is speaking in front of the public. In FIRST, students learn how to create, share, market and protect their ideas. When pitching a project, a creator is usually given a limited amount of time to reveal the most important aspects of what they have created. That’s why it is so crucial to have skills that allow delivering a message in both clear and concise way. 
Even though today, we have technology on our side helping us deliver the speech faster and easier, the idea of having hundreds or thousands of eyes looking at us still makes a lot of trouble. On the other hand, there are some who succeeded in attracting masses and deliver speeches listened by people around the world. How did they do it? Keep reading this article and discover how to build your oratory skills.
5 Ways to Build Your Oratory Skills
1. It’s very normal to be nervous 
A great public speaker who manages to make crowds wait anxiously for his next speech is full of confidence. But, this doesn’t mean that he was born with it. Growing confidence to build oratory skills is a process that takes a lot of practice and perseverance. There are various techniques that you can use to gradually increase your confidence level. First, it is perfectly normal to be nervous. Moreover, it is very important that you carefully prepare your speech. When you know what you have to say and what questions to expect from your audience, then it will become easier to overcome emotions. If possible, it would be also great if you could practice in an as realistic as the possible environment. Finally, you can build your confidence by rehearsing out loud and do extensive research to know your audience. Thus, you will become able to anticipate their questions and stay away from uncomfortable situations.
2.  Know what type of people are listening to you
Do you know who is your target audience? What kind of people is listening to you? Why are they doing so? Knowing your audience is the key to building strong oratory skills. Before you begin to write your speech and determine what type of message you are going to deliver, you should first think of who are the people who are going to receive it. Thus, you should start by understanding and knowing your listeners as much as possible. Knowing which are their biggest points of interest will help you choose your words easier. Moreover, this exercise will also help you determine your speech difficulty level. You should also not forget that your audience will connect to your speech if they feel that you share the same values and experiences. For example, if you don’t know how to “break the ice” and transmit a positive vibe to your audience, you can start your speech with an anecdote which will show them more about your personality and will also help get rid of emotions.
3. Don’t forget about the attention curve
In case you receive a time constraint for your speech, then it becomes clear that you should respect it. By having a time length for your speech will help you organize your ideas in a more concise way and focus only on the most interesting aspects of your message. Moreover, you should be prepared for any unexpected interruptions while you deliver the speech. Thus, you should be prepared with some messages placed in the middle which you can skip in case you get interrupted. The difficult part comes when you don’t have a clear timeframe. Therefore, you risk falling into the trap of talking too much and lose your audience focus. In this case, you should have in mind the concentration curve. In general, their focus will fade during the middle of your speech and will increase as you go to the end. Furthermore, if your message is longer than 15 minutes, then you should expect that their concentration level will decrease especially if they start becoming hungry or need to go to the bathroom.
4. Adapt to the feedback received from your audience
Your focus should always be on your audience. Therefore, while you deliver your speech, you should pay attention to how they are reacting. This means that in case their concentration level decreases, you should be prepared with a back-up plan to make them focus on your speech again. Their body language is the first source of feedback in this case. So, apart from focusing on delivering a clear speech, you shouldn’t lose sight of what your audience is doing while you speak. If you manage to know them very well, then it will become easier to gauge their reactions and deliver a message which will catch their attention from beginning to end.
5. Start strong and end dynamically
If you want to keep your audience’s attention from beginning to end, you should stay away from clichés. Instead of starting with phrases like “today I will tell you more about subject X”, it would be more exciting if you would start with an anecdote or quotation related to the subject. Even though you grabbed people's attention, it is very important what you do during the entire speech. So, if you managed to start strong, your audience will expect to keep the same trend until the conclusion. Therefore, you can grab their attention by adding a personal touch or telling stories with a pinch of humor or sarcasm. The conclusion is also very important. Summarize the main ideas when you reach the end of your speech. A strong statement added in the final phrases will make your speech memorable.
Conclusion
If you want to improve your oratory skills, you should know that practice doesn’t make it perfect. It is absolutely normal to not be perfect when delivering your speech. People appreciate more an authentic speech than a carefully calculated one. Pay attention to the tips above and take enough time to prepare for delivering your speech. Moreover, it is normal to not be able to manage your nerves during your presentation moment. However, practice will help you minimize them and be as natural as possible.

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Hi everyone, my name is Samhita, and I am one of your new FIRST Ladies Directors! I am from Pittsburgh, and I am currently a freshman in high school. Last year I was apart of FTC team 9820 Girls of Steel Hypatia. I am now a member of FRC team 3504 Girls of Steel Robotics, and hope to be a roboticist in the future. I am looking forward to directing FIRST Ladies. 

I’m Aeryn and I’ve been apart of the Girls of Steel Robotics FRC team for three years now and am happy to be apart of the FIRST community. I am currently in 11th grade and am looking into going to college for engineering. I have been inspired by the work I’ve done in robotics specifically in design and driven to continue with it.   
I look forward to Directing FIRST Ladies and helping make a better space for girls in FIRST. 

Girls of Steel has been a regional partner for the past three years and we became directors this past summer. This opportunity gives our team a chance to further our mission to inspire girls in STEM and we look forward to being the new directors. 

You can contact both of us at ladiesinfirst@gmail.com

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I joined Team 3595 Schrodinger's Hat two years ago when I moved to Northern Virginia from New Orleans. I appreciate the high school I attended for adopting such an amazing program, for which inspired me and gave me the chance to this huge family. With this opportunity provided, I’d like to give a few advice based on my personal experience on my teams. ​