Since the creation of the Michigan City High School Robotics Team in 2011, Safe Harbor staff and engineering mentors observed that participation of female students on the Robotics Team was not approaching the desired levels of participation. During the first seven seasons, female student participation in Robotics averaged about 15% of all Robotics program students. In February of 2018, Safe Harbor learned of the work by engineer Cheryl Cunningham, PE, and her sister Judith Cunningham, an elementary school teacher, who co-wrote a children’s book series that demonstrates girls can be engineers. The book series includes: “Yes I Can! I’m Clover Anne!”; “I Can Find a Way! I’m Lucy Kay!”; and “You Can Count on Me! I’m Ziva Marie!”

Regarding this effort, Cheryl Cunningham said, “My goal is to impact the way young children think about engineering and to be a positive role model to young girls. I want both girls and boys to know that girls can be engineers too!”

Judith Cunningham tied her involvement in the book series to her experience as a teacher. “I was saddened to see and hear girls diminish their abilities, and how they limited their career options because of their gender. I was specifically frustrated when boys naively affirmed these unfair beliefs.”

Upon learning of this book series, Safe Harbor began an effort to host Cheryl and Judith Cunningham in Michigan City every year to have the sisters read one of their books to all second graders in the Michigan City Area Schools system. Over a two-day period each year, Safe Harbor staff accompanies the authors to each school for a book reading and an open discussion about what engineers do and who can be an engineer. To close each program, Michigan City Area Schools provides a free copy of the book that was read to each and every student in the 2nd grade classrooms of the MCAS so students can take the book home and read it again at their leisure.

Based on an analysis of the first book reading sessions by Cheryl and Judith in 2018, survey results showed that girls who attended the book reading and met Cheryl and Judith were 2-1/2 times more likely to answer that they ‘want to be an engineer’ when compared to girls who were absent on the day of the book readings.

Due to the success of the first readings in 2018, Safe Harbor has worked to continue this program and have Cheryl and Judith back every year to meet and read to MCAS 2nd grade students. Except for 2020, which was canceled due to Covid, the 2023 visit to MCAS by Cheryl and Judith represents the fifth time the duo have been to Michigan City to present their program and they have reached over 1,500 2nd grade students during that time.