Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) has received a $25,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund to support Girl Scout robotics teams in Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties. Robotics are a key component of GSSI’s commitment to giving girls opportunities and guidance in science, engineering, technology and math (STEM). By participating in three different robotics leagues at three different age levels, GSSI aims to engage more girls across southern Illinois in STEM, so that they can explore valuable career options, build critical thinking and technical skills and sustain a lifelong interest in topics that many girls drift away from by middle school.
“Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is very grateful to be able to provide even more girls an opportunity to participate in STEM programs and compete on a robotics team through support from the Monsanto Fund,” said Mary Buchanan, GSSI Robotics Manager. “Engaging girls in STEM in fun, creative ways helps keep their interest in these valuable career fields, as well as develop their confidence, teamwork and problem solving abilities.”
This grant is part of a broad commitment by the Monsanto Fund focused on strengthening the Greater St. Louis community, where Monsanto Fund and Monsanto Company are headquartered.
The grant will help fund GSSI’s robotics season which starts this fall with FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®). In this global robotics program for 9 to 14 year olds, participants build and program a robot using LEGO components. Teams also conduct a research project and explore FLL Core Values such as active participation, teamwork and gracious professionalism. After months of practice and preparation, teams begin competing at regional tournaments, with the highest scoring teams proceeding to a global tournament.
“Women make up 50.8% of the U.S. population but only 25% of our STEM workforce,” said Monsanto Fund president Deborah Patterson. “Programs like this, which really encourage young ladies to explore and expand their interest in science, technology, engineering and math, could be key to narrowing that gender gap.”
Grant money will also be
used to support several Junior FIRST
Lego League (JrFLL®) teams and two Botball® teams, which belong to a league
that challenges middle and high school students to build two autonomous robots
then program them using C, C++ or Java. The robots perform a series of
preprogrammed tasks in direct competition with another team at the same table. Botball
teams will compete at regional tournaments in the spring, with top scoring
teams advancing to global competition. In 2013, GSSI had the only all Girl
Scout Botball teams in the world.
The grant will also allow
GSSI to purchase additional equipment to facilitate the robotics program,
including robot kits and tablets.
Financial assistance for girls who cannot afford the $15 registration
fee to join Girl Scouts will also be provided.
GSSI’s STEM program
continues to be a progressive and forward-thinking initiative that has grown
exponentially in recent years. In 2009,
GSSI had just one robotics team. In
2014, they fielded 24 teams. GSSI has
dedicated staff and volunteers who develop the STEM program through research,
collaborator cultivation, training and hands-on experience. GSSI strives to
offer diverse and high-quality STEM programming, such as simple circuit wiring,
programming robots, exploring forensics and more. To ensure that all girls have the chance to take
advantage of these future-building opportunities, GSSI has integrated STEM
activities into its outreach programs – which bring Girl Scouting to girls in
underserved populations, such as low income neighborhoods, housing projects,
rural communities and even detention centers.
Girl
Scouts of Southern Illinois is a high-capacity Girl Scout council serving nearly
14,000 girls and almost 5,000 adult volunteers in 40 ½ counties in southern
Illinois. Girl Scouting has inspired
more than 50 million girls and women since its founding in 1912. Today, Girl
Scouts of the U.S.A. is the largest voluntary organization for girls in the
world. Its sole focus is to meet the
needs of all girls (ages 5-17) from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic
backgrounds. Today’s Girl Scouts not
only enjoy camping and crafts, but they also explore math and science and learn
about diversity, good citizenship, leadership and teamwork. Girl Scouting is the place where girls
experience the fun, friendship and power of girls together.
FIRST® and
FLL® are registered trademarks of the United States Foundation for Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and Technology. Jr.FLL® and LEGO® are registered
trademarks of the LEGO Group. BotBall® is a registered trademark of Kiss
Institute for Practical Robotics. Girl Scouts
of Southern Illinois is a not-for-profit organization supported by various United
Ways throughout the region. Girl Scouts is a Proud Partner of United Way. For more information, contact Jay Strobel,
GSSI Chief Communications Officer at 618.692.0692.
About Monsanto Fund
The Monsanto Fund, the
philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company
employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.
