East Texas robotics team highlights opportunities for engineering at CTE Extravaganza

WINNSBORO, Texas (KETK) – The Winnsboro CTE Extravaganza is aimed to peak the interest of elementary school kids, so they can choose a career they’d like to pursue in high school.

“The more they are exposed to events like this, so they can see the programs we have at the high school, when its their turn to pick, they’ll be more informed and had hands on activities and experience and they will be better equipped to make those choices,” said Julie Cole, a counselor for Winnsboro High School.

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Head Robotics Coach Cindy Rogers said the program is growing, but at events like the CTE Extravaganza, it’s important to attract future engineers to the field, especially young girls.

“I look for students but it’s really hard to get them because if you can’t get them in elementary, girls don’t really join the program,” said Rogers.

Rogers said that many of her students’, both boys and girls, were introduced at a young age and have loved robotics ever since.

The entire Rogers’ family are a part of the program, including Cindy’s twin daughters, Kari and Traci.

Both girls said they hope to follow in their big brother and parents’ footsteps.

“She’s told us we don’t have to do it, but it’s honestly fun for us so that’s probably one of the main reasons why we want to do this,” said Traci Rogers.

Men in the STEM field, make up two-thirds of the workforce compared to women.

As a woman in the field, Cindy has pushed through her own challenges of teaching mostly boys, but said that that girls can excel in the field too.

“I tell my kids all the time, my young ladies can write their ticket in engineering,” said Cindy Rogers.

Their teams have won many awards over the past few years, and the robotics UIL team is set to compete March 21, and at the Vex World competition in Dallas from April 27 to 30.

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