WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP SPEAKER SERIES - CYBER VIPERS, FRC TEAM 8717

Hi FIRST Ladies readers! 

We are Team 8717, the Cyber Vipers, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

For the past 8 years, the value of women in leadership has been continually emphasized at Desert Oasis High School, where our team is based. How have we done it? 

The Women in Leadership Speaker Series.

WHAT IS THE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP SPEAKER SERIES?
The Women in Leadership Speaker Series gives women in leadership a platform to inspire our student population. Our school invites women of all backgrounds to speak about their experiences, ranging from STEAM expertise, to government legislation, and to sports team management.

The Series has been run annually since 2016, with the 2024 Speaker Series being the 8th of this event. Our school invites at least one woman in leadership for every school day during Women’s History Month in March. Each speaker is given one hour to have a discussion with an audience of students about their unique challenges and accomplishments.

WHY DOES OUR SCHOOL RUN THE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP SPEAKER SERIES?
One of our school’s largest goals is for students to graduate with one of the Three E’s: Enroll in postsecondary education, Enlist in the military, or be Employed. By allowing inspiring women to take center stage to talk about their experiences, they demonstrate how to overcome adversities and successfully pursue their aspirations.

These inspiring women don’t just show potential future opportunities; they also empower female students and other underrepresented groups so that they CAN accomplish their dreams.

The Speaker Series benefits not only students but also the speakers themselves. All of the speakers are highly accomplished women who get to be further recognized for their success. Additionally, speakers often get to see differing perspectives from our diverse student population.

WHO IS INVITED TO SPEAK?
The Speaker Series involves women from all walks of life.

Some of these phenomenal women include: Stephanie Rogers, the Vice President of the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, the Dean of the School of Liberal Arts Nevada State University, and Susie Lee, United States Representative of Nevada’s 3rd District.

One of the most notable for the STEAM community is Angela Quick, FIRST Nevada’s Regional Director and FRC Program Delivery Partner. Our team personally invited Angela Quick to participate in this Series due to her immense efforts and dedication to expanding our diverse FIRST program within Nevada. Through sharing her experiences, she inspired a library full of students to pursue STEAM and educated others on FIRST core values. 

WHY IS THE WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP SPEAKER SERIES IMPORTANT?
The Women in Leadership Speaker Series at our team’s school is an incredible opportunity for Nevada’s female leaders to talk about their experiences. 

But why should it just stop at Nevada? 

We believe that every woman deserves to have a platform to speak about their incredible journeys. We have hopes that learning about our team and school’s journey with this Series will inspire you to pioneer one in your area. 

This speaker series was featured on Vegas PBS on Monday, April 8th at 7:30 PM PST. If you are more curious about the specifics of the series, please check it out!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frc_8717_cybervipers/