For the first semester of the school year, the robotics team has been preparing for their season beginning January 10th by spending countless hours building, coding and driving in anticipation. While the team as a whole is ready to compete, one student stands out. Sierra Contreras enters the season not only prepared, but determined, as the only woman on the robotics team during the off season.
Going into high school, Contreras had no knowledge of robotics. It wasn’t until a few friends on the team encouraged her to attend an open house that she considered joining. “I had never even taken a Project Lead the Way class, but my friends asked me to come to the open house, and it was a lot of fun,” Contreras said. What began as a simple visit quickly became a decision that helped shape both her high school experience and her personal growth.
Contreras is a member of the team’s manufacturing group. “I help build the parts of the robot and assemble them to actually make the robot,” she said. In this role, she uses problem-solving skills to design parts that align with the robot’s overall design, code and tasks. With that responsibility comes pressure, especially during competitions. “The most challenging part is solving issues as they come up and doing it efficiently,” Contreras said. “But it’s really rewarding when the robot does well in a match and we know it was our hard work that made it happen.” For Contreras, robotics is about more than completing a task. It’s about teamwork and unity to overcome challenges.
As the only woman on the team during the off season, sometimes Contreras found it hard to connect with her teammates. “I found that it’s kind of hard to, like, relate to the boys and they’ll sometimes do their own thing,” Contreras said. However Contreras is not deterred as she views being a woman in STEM as a privilege “Being a woman is STEM is about breaking down boundaries and doing something that isn’t expected or stereotyped,” Contreras said. She feels excited as she sees more young women joining STEM programs, despite the lack of representation.
Entering her third season, Contreras urges more women to explore STEM opportunities. “It’s a really great experience. The more you step out, the less intimidating it will seem,” she said. Being part of the robotics team has played a major role in shaping her future. “Because of robotics, I now know I want to do mechanical engineering,” Contreras said. The opportunity to be part of a problem-solving team has helped her discover and understand her passion.
As the season begins, Contreras stands as both a dedicated teammate and a role model, showing that determination and passion can break stereotypes and inspire future generations in STEM.
