Explora robotics team gears up for international competition

In an effort to promote diversity and inclusion in the field of robotics, Explora's has started its first-ever robotics team for young women of color.

The team is currently preparing for an international competition in Amarillo, Texas. The group currently consists of three girls — Ahmariah Mayfield, 15, Heaven Kenny-Johnson, 15, and Maya Gomez, 13— who receive mentorship from X Studios, Explora's teen branch, which connects young people to cutting-edge tools, technologies, and mentors . They also get additional guidance from mentors through Sandia Labs’ volunteer and outreach program.

Explora’s robotics team is the only team in the state that is not exclusive to a single high school. The three girls come from The Great Academy, DLD Sycamore School, and Mia Prep School. Even for students who don't know if they want to continue pursuing robotics in college, the team develops important skills that can be applicable to other areas of study. Gomez said that while she wants to be a pharmacist, the skills she'll learn on the team will be "a plus to get a grasp on what [she'll] be doing research with."

This team is registered under For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, or FIRST, which is a robotics community that prepares young people for a future in STEM . They plan to participate in the FIRST Robotics international competition during the last weekend of March, with all expenses covered through several grants. While FIRST is focused on youth in general, Explora’s team wants to empower young women of color in STEM through the competition.

To build their skills, the team holds a robotics boot camp in December, covering coding, assembling and safety in building robots. Explora’s exhibit staff assist with the more dangerous tools for cutting larger pieces, while the team members actively participate in cutting the smaller components.

The international competition season will officially begin with a worldwide kickoff day on January 6th.

Alex Orona, Explora's planning coordinator, is hoping to host an event for the kickoff, where all FIRST robotics teams in the city will be invited and the competition challenge will be announced. Explora's team is looking to have at least 5 members before the competition, and has been actively reaching out to potential members, hosting lunch demos at Highland High School and demonstrating the use of the smaller practice robots . The actual competition robot will be about five feet tall.

The team's activities are funded by grants from NASA, FIRST and local non-profit Burque Against Racism. Beyond building robots, the team aims to create educational opportunities for the young women by connecting them to the scholarships created by FIRST. The organization has worked to create scholarships, like Boston University’s $25,000 scholarship for FIRST participants majoring in engineering.

Tabs McFarland, an Explora educator and lead coach for the team, highlighted the importance of women of color in the robotics field.

"They belong in that space just as much as anyone else," she said.

This sentiment underscores the team's mission, which extends beyond competition victories, to inspire and encourage more women of color to join the robotics field. Beyond the competitive arena, this team envisions a future where their efforts inspire a new generation of women of color to build careers in the world of robotics and STEM fields. For questions on how to join the team, contact Dixie Cooper at dcooper@explora.us.