With robots, cookies, and a whole lot of heart, this all-girls robotics team is redefining what compassionate STEM could be.
A group of fourteen high schoolers spent more than 1,600 hours building a robot. Then they baked 1,140 cookies to fund STEM access for girls around the world.
Team 11770 placed in the top four of a global robotics competition, an achievement reached by less than 1% of teams. They compete in FIRST Tech Challenge, a robotics competition for students in grades 7-12 that challenges them to design, build, and code a robot completely from scratch.
But for this all-girls robotics team, success wasn’t just technical, it was generational.
After speaking with this passionate crew, I saw how deeply they embody FIRST’s slogan of “More Than Robots,” and I was wowed by the deep insights they had already gathered on big topics of privilege, mentorship, and a world of heart-led STEM that stretched my own imagination on the subject.
To raise funds, the team hosted a massive bake sale—1,140 cookies, all homemade—called Cookies for Curiosity. Held at their all-girls school, it drew a large and enthusiastic crowd of classmates.
In total, the team raised over $3,400, which they donated to three nonprofits: Greenlight for Girls, another international STEM education organization, and a local nonprofit based in Los Angeles, where the team lives.
“Our school was kind enough to fund our software and hardware costs, so we wanted to match or exceed that budget—about $2,800—and give back,” said Zarah, one team member.
“It’s never been about winning the robot game,” Sarah, another member, echoed.
“It’s about recognizing how much privilege we have to even be here, and using our platform to support others.”
“We liked Greenlight for Girls not just because of STEM, but because they focus on tuition,” she explained. “Not everyone gets to go to high school, so we wanted to start from that foundational level of inequality.”
Their work is rooted in a philosophy that STEM should serve people, not just problems. “It can’t just be about solving abstract problems,” said Chloe, another team member.
“STEM doesn’t just lie in the ability to do complex equations or calculate the velocity of a sphere. STEM, at its core, is a human subject that is best used when in the interest of the common good.”
“It’s only meaningful when it’s used in service of others,” Chloe continued. That’s what motivates us, not just the technical challenge, but what that knowledge can do in the world.”
For the team, a big part of compassionate, inclusive STEM lies in solving real-world problems for everyday people. Many team members trace their passion for STEM to this kind of connection. Zarah, for example, was drawn to STEM before she even had a name for it. Sparked by a childhood curiosity, as a toddler with a screwdriver, she sketched out prototypes of automated vacuum cleaners to help her mom.
“I wanted to fix the problems I saw in my every day,” she said.
Chloe, who rarely saw women in math or science at her old school, knows how crucial exposure is for girls to see themselves in STEM. And it’s a big part of what drives her to create pathways for other young women to explore the field today.
Each team member had a story like this to share.
Nina found inspiration at a girls-only space camp. Though the walls were still covered with male astronauts, the girls roamed the halls freely, exploring space science, robotics, and astronomy in ways that made participation in this exciting world feel possible and real.
In elementary school, Sarah was one of the only girls excited about STEM, often overlooked by boys who didn’t take her seriously. That changed when she joined an all-girls robotics team, where support replaced skepticism, and she finally had the space to dive in freely.
When Zarah first visited the team on campus, an older robotics student showed her the robotics lab. “It made everything feel real,” Zarah said. “Seeing myself in that space was a turning point.”
That moment—when curiosity becomes a real possibility—is what Team 11770 strives to create for every girl who dreams of STEM.
At GlobalGiving, our role in this beautiful giving arc was simple: to help this team find and support the organizations opening similar doors to the ones that were opened for them.
Because sometimes, all it takes is one tour, one mentor, one chance to see yourself where you truly belong.
Team 11770 has beautifully reminded me that once you’ve walked through that door, the real question is: Will you stop and turn around? Will you appreciate it, hold it close, and then eventually, hold it open for others?
Featured Photo: Team 11770 at More Than Robots by Team 11770
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