Author: Geared4Girls
Our Backstory
Irvine, CA - June 6, 2026 - STEM (standing for: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is increasingly relevant in today’s society. Technologies are advancing quickly; look at the rise of AI. In these past few years, new discoveries, research in biology, and countless other innovations everywhere. STEM’s impact in our lives will only continue becoming more significant as time goes on.
Correspondingly, interest and participation from youth in STEM-related activities rises. There are many educational, valuable opportunities for young people to get involved in STEM fields that help them gain interest and crucial skills for the future. Science fairs, olympiad competitions, personal engineering or technology projects
In a study conducted by Master, Cheryn and Maltzoff (2016), girls reported higher levels of interest in enrolling in computer science courses than boys. However, researchers found that stereotypical environments reduced girls' sense of belonging, thus decreasing their interest in participation.
Through our personal experiences in the STEM community - more specifically - in VEX robotics, we have witnessed a community in which many girls do not receive the support they need. Despite there being many mentors available, girls tend to receive less encouragement to pursue technical roles. In competitive communities, girls are commonly associated with being organized planners whose expertise is in notebooking. Meanwhile, boys are frequently perceived as being better suited for building, coding. These stereotypes are not just generalizations, they have real world effects.
Studies suggest that women report lower feelings of belonging in STEM environments, specifically in engineering and technology-related fields. Researchers attribute this, in part, to stereotypes that portray STEM as a male only domain. Such perceptions can negatively affect confidence, performance, and long-term participation among female students (Dasgupta & Stout, 2014)
We recognize that many girls demonstrate the talent and the ambition to succeed in STEM, but often have to seek out opportunities that are more readily offered to their male peers.
We value hard work, leadership and initiative; which we look for when forming a community of hand selected mentors. Through our app, we’re building a community of hand selected mentors around the world with experience in VEX Robotics who are determined to give back; who will then be matched with mentees across the globe, providing guidance tailored to each student's unique robotics journey.
Beyond teaching technical skills, mentors will offer advice on everything from navigating competitions and troubleshooting designs, to advocating for one's ideas and taking on leadership roles within a team. By connecting girls with peers and role models who have faced similar challenges and succeeded despite them, we hope to create a global support network where girls feel empowered to ask questions, and pursue opportunity without limitation.