Meet FLVS Student Sariah Robertson

She’s not your typical video gamer. She’s also not your typical model or cheerleader. In fact, Sariah Robertson is anything but typical – she’s extraordinary! FLVS student Sariah started her own organization called My Girl Code which focuses on inspiring girls to become more interested in advanced technology systems such as coding.

It all started when her mother told her to make something more of her life than just playing video games. Instead of pouting, Sariah turned to the Internet and started researching how to make a career out of game design.

In turn, she found out that technology jobs are the “wave of the future” and that the field is typically male-dominated. Sariah wasn’t discouraged, but encouraged. That was when she knew she needed her mother’s business-savvy and web design expertise to create My Girl Code so she could spread the word and be an inspiration to other young girls. She wants to promote equality and show that women can change the world in this field by providing another point of view.

This year, there is an Inaugural My Girl Code Summer Summit from August 1-3, where leading technology organizations like Microsoft, Google, and Firefox will provide workshops for girls to attend. (It is being held at Walt Disney World, so it’s definitely not all work and no play!) Learn more about this and future opportunities here.

Sariah said she wants to encourage every girl to sign up so they can learn skills that could change their lives for the better.

Starting an organization like this hasn’t always been easy and she admits she wasn’t always sure she was going to succeed. In March, she had the incredible opportunity to meet Dr. Maya Angelou, who was amazed by her.

Sariah said Dr. Angelou was incredibly wise: “When she spoke, her voice was so strong and sure. Her message was so clear. I admire her so much.”

This 17-year-old has said that FLVS has provided so much opportunity to her, between a multitude of clubs, opportunities to meet new people, experience great teachers, and have a close-knit community. Speaking of great teachers, she spoke of all of her teachers, but profoundly of one – Ms. Amy Rait.

“She was my World History teacher and was just there for me. She called me to make sure I was on top of my school work when I got behind. I appreciate her very much!”

The feeling definitely seems mutual. Ms. Rait said: “Sariah is a young lady who is a dreamer and a budding entrepreneur. She noticed a gap in girls’ achievement in STEM courses and is now working to do something about it. Her dreams are big and her plans are even bigger! As a student in World History, she embraced the content and made relevant connections to today. It was my pleasure to work with a student who puts her whole energy into her tasks at hand. I expect great things from Sariah.”

When asked about what keeps her motivated, Sariah said it’s just encouraging to see other girls getting excited about something new and interesting. She wants everyone to know that “there is always a connection between what you love and a career out there, so don’t give up; do your research! Take your passion and always be yourself. It sounds cliché, but really – always be yourself!”

Post by FLVS Instructor / Former Student Activities Coordinator Christin Wheeler