There
is a song in the Disney Junior channel which beats to the tune of “you can be
who you want to be.” That was exactly the kind of message 36 girls enrolled in
the PACE program received during their one day visit to FLATE’s, Careers in Technology and Robotics
Workshop. The workshop was held in
August and involved PACE students and teachers from Manatee, Hillsborough,
Pinellas, Pasco, and Polk counties. PACE Center for Girls, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c) 3
corporation that provides a non-residential delinquency prevention program in
locations statewide, targeting the unique needs of females 12 to 18 who are
identified as dependent, truant, runaway, delinquent, or in need of academic
skills. Its purpose is to intervene and prevent school withdrawal, juvenile
delinquency, teen pregnancy, substance abuse and welfare dependency in a safe
and nurturing environment. (Source: PACE
website)
During
the day long visit to FLATE’s manufacturing and engineering technology
laboratory at Hillsborough
Community College in Brandon, the girls programmed Lego® Mindstorms® robots, and got an
overview of educational and career pathways in Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM). “Our goal is to provide students with
hands-on robotics experiences while emphasizing how robots are used in
manufacturing” said Desh Bagley, outreach manager for FLATE. To that effect, students got a wealth
of information on applications of robotics technology in everyday settings and
in manufacturing operations, and witnessed a demo of the NAO humanoid robot in
action. To give a real-world view of engineering and technical professions, Dr.
Sylvia Thomas, professor of electrical engineering at the University of South
Florida in Tampa, gave a first-hand account of a “day in the life of an
engineer,” and the skills set and knowledge required to pursue STEM based
careers and educational pathways. “I'm here to encourage each of you to dream
and to become the great young ladies that you are” said Thomas.
With
that in mind, the girls were encouraged to dispel the myths associated with
becoming an engineer and/or
STEM professional. The students also got an
overview of local high-tech companies, like Lockheed Martin, Pratt &
Whitney, Featherlite, Tampa Armature Works and Tropicana that they could work
for in the future. “It’s all about
discovering who you are and the choices that you have” Thomas said.
Preliminary
survey from the workshop showed more than 90% of the students agreed/strongly
agreed that the workshop made them think about how STEM is used outside the
classroom. More than half the participants also agreed/strongly agreed that the
workshop made them consider a career in advanced manufacturing. More than 90%
of the respondents also stated learning about robotics made them think about
the applications of automated systems in advanced manufacturing settings.
For
more information on FLATE’s robotics programs for middle and high school
students, visit www.madeinflorida.org, or contact Dr.
Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org and Desh Bagley,
outreach manager at bagley@fl-ate.org. For information
on PACE Center for Girls visit www.pacecenter.org.
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