STEAM Nights are back! Ages 8 - 18, join us Saturdays 5:00 - 7:00pm Nov 1st - Jan 3rd.

MSA SWENext

Society of Women Engineers (SWENext)

The McKinney STEAM Academy is proud to present our SWENext club, the youth arm of the Society of Women Engineers!

Open to all ages and genders, SWENext offers opportunities to explore engineering, build skills, and connect with like-minded students, SWE and SWENext members. You do not need to be a member of the McKinney STEAM Academy or a robotics team to join.

We welcome you to join our SWENext club meetings and special events. You can contact us at swenext@mckinneysteamacademy.org. We’re also always looking to partner with teams, companies, organizations, and more who are looking to involve more women in STEM and provide opportunities for growth and mentorship. If you’d like to partner for a specific event, please reach out to our organization official email and our outreach officer here: jia.g@mckinneysteamacademy.org

Our Events

Fall Fest

Our FallFest event featured a festive autumn theme complete with a bake sale and concession stand to raise funds for MSA. Guests enjoyed hands-on experiences with our catapult outreach robot and explored demonstrations of our laser cutter and 3D printer. The event blended STEM learning with seasonal fun for the whole community.

February Festival

Our Valentines-themed SWENext February Festival offered a mix of creativity and engineering, featuring interactive stations such as cookie decorating, laser engraving, and 3D printing, each led by volunteers who explained how the technology works. The event featured two guest speakers and a surprise presentation from Action Allies United, plus a raffle with exciting prizes!

Robotics Petting Zoo

The Robotics Petting Zoo brought together all three levels of FIRST Robotics (FLL, FTC, and FRC) to showcase how students can grow through the program and carry STEM concepts from one level to the next. We hosted three FTC teams (Tech Titans and Sharks), displayed an FLL robot, and featured inspiring talks from FLL coach Anand Bajaj and other speakers like Rukhsana Sathe and Rosario (Kary) Saud Geraldino. Visitors explored multiple stations focused on FRC, FTC, FLL, and STEM presentations, enjoyed snacks, and learned about robotics through a fun, interactive format.

In collaboration with: Bridge the Gap Robotics Foundation and Action Allies United

Virtual Career Expo

This national virtual event highlighted women in STEM across fields such as aviation, data science, leadership, military technology, medicine, program management, software engineering, and health research. Teams and attendees from across the country connected to hear from professionals, share experiences, and gain insight into diverse STEM careers

Maple Makerspace Night

Our Maple Makerspace Night featured 5–6 interactive stations where students designed, built, and learned! Activities included LEGO bridge building, laser cutting, 3D printing, set assembly, and guided lessons on MakersWorld and Tinkercad. Kids created mini ghost models, received laser-cut jack-o’-lanterns, and built their own 3D-printed rocket keychains. Some even won custom lamps as prizes! The event celebrated creativity, hands-on learning, and the joy of making. One of our best events yet!

North Texas FTC Qualifier

At the Dowell Middle School North Texas Regional Qualifier, we showcased the full range of our SWENext initiatives with hands-on activities to custom merch, design displays, and outreach materials. We were also proud to represent FirstLikeAGirl, giving young girls in STEM the opportunity to engage, explore, and feel empowered. Our interactive prize wheel was a huge hit, offering giveaways such as MSA SWENext–themed earrings, 3D-printed gears, LEGO flowerpots, and other fun STEM-inspired items. It was an exciting and inspiring day of celebrating creativity, engineering, and future innovators!

Meet our Officers!

President

Mahi Chaudhari

Mahi Chaudhari is a junior on FRC Team 6369 Mercenary Robotics, currently serving as the SweNext President and part of the design and build team. This is her third year in FIRST and FRC and 2nd on the MERCs, and she’s passionate about inspiring more girls to explore robotics and engineering through FIRST.

Contact: mahi.c@mckinneysteamacademy.org

Vice President

Aahana Basappa

Aahana Basappa is a junior on the Mercenaries 6369 and currently serving as the SWENext Vice President and the MSA FRC Captain. This is her 4th year in FIRST robotics and 2nd year in FRC and serving as the SWENext vice president. She has loved building and designing robotics since experimenting with LEGO Mindstorm and is passionate about providing opportunities in STEM to women and other underserved communities.

Contact: aahana.b@mckinneysteamacademy.org

Secretary & Treasurer

Avery Williams

Avery Williams is a sophomore and a member of FRC Team 6369 (Mercenary Robotics). This is her second year with the Mercenaries, and she primarily works on software. She’s enthusiastic about STEM education and dedicated to giving girls the tools to become the engineers, scientists, and innovators of the future.

Contact: avery.w@mckinneysteamacademy.org

Outreach Officer

Jia Gour

Jia Gour is currently in 8th grade and this is her 1st year in both FTC (17011 Mercenary Robotics) and FRC (6773 Max Throttle Mavericks). She has been buildings things since she could hold legos, and is very passionate about connecting women & girls across STEM fields!

Contact: jia.g@mckinneysteamacademy.org

Publicity Officer

Sasha Vadivel

Sasha Vadivel is a senior on FRC Team 6369, currently serving as the Media Lead and part of the marketing and outreach team. This is her second year in robotics, and she’s passionate about using storytelling and visual media to showcase the impact of women in STEM and inspire more girls to explore robotics and engineering.

Contact: sasha.v@mckinneysteamacademy.org

Recruiting Officer

Helen Kanatt

Helen Kanatt is a junior on FRC Team 6369. This is her second year in FRC and she is part of both the engineering and outreach teams. She is passionate about empowering more girls and women to discover their potential in STEM.

Contact: helen.k@mckinneysteamacademy.org

Upcoming Events

Come meet us in person at our upcoming events!

December 13th – FLL Qualifier @ Dowell Middle School:

Join us for a full day of seasonal ornament making, 3D printing, snacks, and more! RSVP here!

Programs

#FirstLikeAGirl

Our team is an ambassador for the #FirstLikeAGirl program started by FRC team 1902 Exploding Bacon which is a social media movement to encourage girls and women in STEM and FIRST. By showcasing the many incredible women of FIRST and their stories, girls can find role models who they identify with and are inspired by.

Coming Soon: Operation Maven

Operation Maven: New mentorship program connecting young girls and women in STEM to experienced individuals working in academia and research. More details to come.