One of the most important outreach events our program holds is Miss Maker Workshop. This event was originally thought of back in 2014, and is still going strong to this day. The idea was created when students on the team recognized the gender imbalance present within Wildstang, a problem mirroring the situation in the STEM field as a whole. Many WildStang students previously attended one of the workshops as a middle schooler. The main purpose of MMW is to promote female inclusion in STEM and provide young girls with basic understanding about various fields of engineering. The program is designed for girls from fourth to eighth grade and lasts about half of a day. The event is entirely run by WildStang team members, with very little mentor input. They plan nearly every aspect of the event, from the activities to the schedule and everything in between.

Wildstang student volunteers guide them through some of the various fields of engineering that WildStang uses during build season, such as mechanical, electrical, and software engineering. WildStang students guide the girls through exciting and educational hands-on activities that span from designing and building simple machines using basic engineering principles that can perform simple tasks to creating a small electrical circuit to creating a game on Scratch. These activities help ensure that the girls learn valuable engineering skills and lessons that they can look upon in the future and share with their peers.

The event hones in on the importance of innovative solutions that can be expanded on and encouraged. The girls learn creativity, perseverance, and the importance of learning from their mistakes, all while having fun at the same time. They discover that engineering is not merely about technical know-how; it is about pushing boundaries, finding inventive solutions, and embracing the process of trial and error. On top of that, all of this is achieved in an environment that is not only educational, but also incredibly enjoyable.

Miss Maker Workshop, while simple on the surface, is more than just an event. It represents a beacon of hope for the future of STEM, a testament to our team’s unwavering dedication to diversity, and a platform for young girls to embark on a thrilling journey of self-discovery through the lens of engineering. As we continue to organize and refine MMW, we are confident that the impact it leaves on the lives of these girls will be a legacy that continues to grow and inspire for years to come.

The 2024 WSRP Miss Maker Workshop is being held on November 2nd and 16th. Learn more about this years workshop and register by clicking the button.

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