Play Like a Girl, a non-profit that empowers girls to become leaders in the STEM workforce through the power of sports, provided 15 middle-school girls with a deep look inside the technology-rich world of high-performance INDYCAR racing prior to the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, Tenn.
The experience, which included a behind-the-scenes visit to the racing paddock, was supported by the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Arrow McLaren SP, Firestone Tire and Rubber Co., and Arrow Electronics.
“Sports provides girls with the leadership skills they need to go from the classroom to the workplace,” said Dr. Kimberly Clay, founder and CEO of Play Like a Girl. “For most of these girls, it was their first opportunity to see career possibilities opening for women in this exciting sport, as well as companies that are driving innovation forward in transportation and mobility.”
The Play Like a Girl program at the Grand Prix race included presentations and mentoring sessions with engineers and business executives from the participating organizations, as well as remarks by Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O’Ward, currently ranked fifth in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings.
“It’s so important for these girls to see women in STEM and to see there is someone out there like them, working on cars, or engineering a robotic dragon, and making a difference,” said panelist Elizabeth Pea, IT project management analyst for Arrow Electronics. “It’s also important for women to know they are needed in these spaces and that we need more of them in STEM roles.”
The escorted paddock tour included STEM-focused presentations at the Firestone garage, Pennzoil INDYCAR Tech Inspection, and the Arrow McLaren SP garage.
“Women and girls are valued and critical members of the INDYCAR community,” said INDYCAR Marketing Vice President SJ Luedtke. “We’re excited to continue and enhance work underway to support meaningful coaching and talent pipelines promoting greater gender equity and representation in our sport.”
Participants also were introduced to the Arrow Semi-Autonomous Mobility (SAM) program, including a McLaren 720S Spyder modified by Arrow engineers so disabled former race car driver and Arrow McLaren SP team co-owner Sam Schmidt can drive at racetrack speeds using only head controls.
Since 2004, Play Like a Girl has served more than 25,000 girls in North America, Africa, and the Caribbean. Its headquarters are in Nashville.