FEATURE

“We got to tour really cool places,” Zia gushes.
They visited the Columbia Falls headquarters of SWAE, a local, swanky, under-the-radar technology innovation company, where they not only sat in a gold carbon fiber Lamborghini, but they picked the brains of high-end engineers.
“They’ve given us some insight into some of our different robot designs, and they were super duper awesome and 3D printed the spoiler that’s on our robot,” Kennedy says.
“They do race cars, so it fits,” Krista adds.

The RoboScouts have also toured the landfill gas-to-energy plant, explored sustainability and the power grid with Flathead Electric, and worked hand-in-hand with tactical specialists at Nomad Global Communication Solutions. And that’s just the techie stuff.

“I really like children, and I want to work with children when I’m older,” Zia says. She and Krista point to photos on their official presentation board—showing off McQueen at the Boys & Girls Club, visiting a young Girl Scout troop on a badge night—as the other girls giggle and chime in, “That was so fun!”

Graduating senior Jessie Chadwick works 30 hours a week in addition to a rigorous school schedule to help support her family. “But I love [RoboScouts] so much, I’m willing to sacrifice hours of sleep to do robotics and get to be part of something really cool,” she says. Her sacrifice is already paying off, sometimes literally, as she applies for college scholarships. “I definitely feel a lot more confident representing myself since I’ve spent so much time advocating for the team.”

As team members demonstrate McQueen’s skills on the robotics game board in the center of the HideyHub floor, I can’t help but feed off of the way these girls—dare I say it—energize each other. Their easy camaraderie is a tangible reminder that this program is about so much more than knowing the difference between a sonic hub and a hyper hub.

When Jessie joined the RoboScouts in seventh grade, her mother had just passed away. “So that was totally devastating,” she says, “but I remember coming to robotics, and it was just such a light that I could come into every day.” She describes how building things with the team allowed her to “have some type of control over something in my life—it really just helped push me through those times. And the community—I love them so much.”

“I don’t want girls to stop doing something they enjoy doing because of some outside reason, because something is making them feel uncomfortable or someone is telling them that they can’t, because they can.”

 

– Krista Nunnally, robotics coach and Girl Scout leader

 

Krista wants her girls to have every opportunity to do what they love, whatever that is. “I don’t want girls to stop doing something they enjoy doing because of some outside reason, because something is making them feel uncomfortable or someone is telling them that they can’t,” she says, “because they can. Everyone’s got it, everyone’s got something to contribute. And if you want to have fun with us, come have fun with us!”

Before I leave, Krista introduces me to Flowers, the resident beta fish in the bubbling corner tank. She points out the automatic feeder stand the girls built from robot parts. They named Flowers after FIRST founder Woody Flowers, she explains, because “he was the one that was so big on kids getting more out of this than just the science part.” As Flowers flutters his fins in the tank, I’m reminded of Zia running at the ocean for her very first time, arms wide and bare feet splashing.

I think of Kennedy on stage and Lexi speaking up in class.
Of Jessie reaching for dreams she never even knew existed.

And in the midst of all the beams, beeps, and screws, one thing is clear: win or lose, the RoboScouts are bringing home the gold.

NOTE: The RoboScout Squad is recruiting new members! No prior robotics experience needed. If you know a girl in eighth grade or older who wants to have a blast with this incredible Girl Scout troop, email info@roboscoutsquad.com for more information!