Tell us about yourself and how are you involved with FIRST?
Hey! I’m Anne-Maaike, and this is my 10th season in FIRST. I started when I was 8 in elementary school with FLL on an all-girls team called Pretty Smart Power Girls. By the time I was 12, I wanted a new challenge, so I started FTC 16441 Pretty Smart Robotics. I’ve been the captain and manager of my FTC team since the beginning, and I’m also the electrical lead. Besides FTC, I’m part of FIRST Global Team Netherlands, I mentor our sister FLL team, and I volunteer at FLL and FTC events when my team isn’t competing.
How has FIRST helped you accomplish your goals?
FIRST has made me so much more confident in my STEM skills and leadership abilities. It has really helped me learn new techniques and skills in a fun and safe environment. The playful setting helped me get over my fear of failure and try out new things.
Do you recall any special experiences or challenges?
In my second season in FLL, our all-girls team decided to include some boys who wanted to join. This change to a mixed team created a strange dynamic. The boys took over the robot design and programming, and we girls just let them. They seemed so confident that we stepped aside, thinking they knew better than us, despite our experience from the previous season. However, their confidence was misplaced, and our robot didn’t perform well at all.
In the third season, we returned to being an all-girls team because we felt that the boys had taken away our power. It was a great decision. We regained our confidence and ended up winning our regional final. At the national final, though, we were met with older boys questioning what “little girls” like us were doing there. It felt very demeaning and highlighted how some people still view girls in STEM. We proved them wrong by winning the final and advancing to World’s in Detroit.
For the past five seasons, I’ve been part of a mixed FTC team. The boys are more mature, and the girls are more confident. We really enjoy working together as a team. Everyone brings important skills to the table, and we embrace our differences.
Why do you think FIRST is important for females?
I think it’s super important for girls to see how amazing their skills are and to realize that STEM isn’t just for guys. In FIRST, you can either work on something you’re already good at and get even better, or try something totally new. Plus, having more girls on the teams is awesome because we bring different skills that really complement the guys. Teams with girls just do better overall!
What are your goals for the future?
My goals are to finish high school this year and then study electrical engineering. I want to work in a leadership role in a STEM environment because I’ve learned over the past 10 years in FIRST that it’s what I love and what I’m really good at.
What advice would you give to the younger generation of girls interested in STEAM fields?
Start with FIRST! It’s so much fun and doesn’t even feel like learning, but you end up learning a ton. You get to try out different fields in STEAM and find out what you’re most passionate about, all while building your confidence.
Do you have a woman you look up to/is your role model? If so, who is it and why?
I don’t really belief in role models as such, but my mother has a PhD in chemistry and she is really passionate about her field of expertise. That kind of passion and knowledge in a particular field is just very inspiring to me.
Do you know a student, alumni, mentor, volunteer or sponsor with a great story?
Click here to nominate your favorite #FIRSTLikeAGirl, to tell her story!