Case in Point
Three young 16-year-old women who, for the second year in a row, will advance to the final round of the Conrad Challenge- a STEM entrepreneurship contest. Last year they won Best Pitch Award.
Patent Pending
Their invention – the ValkEIRie autonomous robot cleans and disinfects airplane cabins between flights making it safer and cleaner for passengers and crew to fly.
The girls started on this project two years ago working virtually most of the time.
They contracted with local FIRST (r) Robotics Team 316 to build the prototype
Other Honors
The girls will present a technical paper, the only high school team to do so, at the AIAA Region 1 Conference at Virginia Tech in March.
Current Efforts
The girls, part of It’s A Girls World Inc., are currently reaching out to airlines to demo the prototype. They are also fundraising to complete the project and travel to Houston for the 2022 Conrad Challenge.
For more information or to donate: https://www.sjrobotics.com/girlsworld/
It’s a Girls World Inc. is a division of South Jersey Robotics, Inc. – a 501(3)C dedicated to empowering students through skills development and understanding STEM career options. Girls World is a three to five-year program for young women from Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland Counties starting in 8th grade to help build skills, confidence, and a greater understanding of STEM-related careers available to them through guest speakers, hands-on activities, mentoring sessions, and completing a community service project. The program includes an annual two-week summer session taking place at Salem Community College followed by quarterly mentoring throughout the year.
Girls World is sponsored by Salem Community College, Rowan College of South Jersey, South Jersey Robotics, Atlantic City Electric, PSEG, Chemours, Corteva, and the Foreman Foundation. GW is accepting applications for its upcoming Year 1 class for young women entering 8th or 9th grade in the fall of 2022.
An application can be found on the website at https://www.sjrobotics.com/girlsworld/
To sponsor a girl in the program or to sign up as a mentor please also see our web page.
Girls Rule!!
Interested in getting involved with GW?
Visit our home page HERE for more information.
Apply to the program as a student. Become a mentor. Sponsor our nonprofit.