Juneau Junior Selected for National STEM Program

Juneau Junior Sophia Owen is the only Alaskan young person selected into the Million Girls Moonshot Flight Crew, an effort to use afterschool and STEM learning (science, technology, engineering, and math) to build a better future where young girls everywhere can envision a place for themself in STEM roles. Motivated by impactful STEM experiences beyond the classroom in afterschool programs, the Flight Crew, including Sophia, is currently working in their communities to break down stereotypes and spark their peers' curiosity in STEM.

Sophia is part of the Juneau Economic Development Council’s FIRST Tech Challenge, a program to design, build, and program a robot by exploring advanced engineering concepts, brainstorming innovative ideas, and developing career-ready practices. STEM Program Manager Alyson Cooper who nominated Sophia and another FIRST teammate to the Flight Crew, says “Every time I am looking for someone to promote STEM or mentor younger kids in Juneau, Sophia and her FIRST Tech Challenge teammates are the ones to answer the call. Sophia is quiet and soft spoken, but is very determined and easy to like, which helps her to excel in whatever she does.”

Sophia is one of the 21,584 Alaskan youth that reap the incredible benefits of afterschool programs. Many afterschool programs like FIRST Tech lay the foundations for finding fun in STEM, build life skills for future employment opportunities, and give youth the chance to create lifelong connections.

What’s next for Sophia and the Flight Crew?

The Flight Crew will now participate in eight months of virtual training to advance their leadership, public speaking and other networking skills. They’ll also receive important connections to mentors and simultaneously serve as role models for youth in their communities, encouraging other Southeast youth to get involved in afterschool programs that offer STEM options like robotics, computer programming, opportunities to learn about wildlife, and more.

Teresa Drew, Deputy Director of the STEM Next Opportunity Fund, says that “the flight crew and the voice of young people is how we will change the national conversation around equity in STEM. They are the ones who will help us shift our mindsets as adults.”

Learn more about the 2023 Flight Crew members here.