Ladybirds, Brownies, Girl Guides, pictured with Volunteers from Janssen Sciences Ireland, Irish Girl Guites, Learn it Academy, and parents and family members at Janssen Sciences Ireland in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork at an event marking Janssen’s support for Irish Girl Guides participating in the FIRST® LEGO® League. More than 60 Girl Guides visited the Janssen facility to showcase their LEGO creations, which were inspired by this year’s Superpowered theme of reimagining the future of sustainable energy, with a focus on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all.
Picture: Michael O’Sullivan /OSM PHOTO
Janssen Sciences Ireland, part of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, is supporting young girls in Cork and Kerry to develop STEM skills through the FIRST® LEGO® League Discover. More than 60 Girl Guides visited the Janssen facility in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork to showcase their LEGO creations which were inspired by this year’s Superpowered theme of reimagining the future of sustainable energy, with a focus on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy for all. This is the first time that an Irish Girl Guides FIRST® LEGO® League event has been held outside of Dublin.
FIRST® LEGO® League is an international competition that challenges young students to design, build, and program robots using LEGO. The programme encourages teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving skills, as well as promoting an interest in STEM subjects. In Ireland, the initiative is organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) in partnership with Irish delivery partner, Learnit and supported by the Science Foundation Ireland discover fund. Janssen’s support for the Irish Girl Guides is part of the company’s commitment to empowering women in STEM and advancing diversity and inclusion in the industry, through the Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D Programme.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Irish Girl Guides to our site and to have the chance to see what they have been working on as part of FIRST LEGO League”, said Liz Dooley, Senior Director, Global Engineering & Technology, Janssen Sciences Ireland. “We recognise the importance of providing opportunities to explore and excel in STEM fields. By collaborating with the Irish Girl Guides, we hope to empower more young girls to pursue their passions and reach their full potential. We are also incredibly grateful for the support of our dedicated volunteers at Janssen, who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to support the Girl Guides during this programme.”
The Irish Girl Guides is a leading youth organisation in Ireland, providing a safe and supportive environment for girls to develop confidence and leadership skills. This year, Janssen volunteers have supported Girl Guides units in Blarney, Cobh, Carrigaline, Kinsale and Tralee to participate in this year’s FIRST® LEGO® League.
“We are delighted to partner with Janssen to inspire and empower our girls to explore and succeed in STEM fields,” said Claire Barkey, CEO, Irish Girl Guides. “By introducing them to the exciting world of robotics and programming through the FIRST LEGO League, we hope to inspire them to pursue their passions and reach their full potential.”
