One of their favorite projects was building leprechaun traps. The building of these traps went on for years, said their mother, Kelly Ludlam. They would often host contests on who could build the best trap … They would redesign and build again and always celebrated each other s creations.
Such childhood building was Kaitlyn s first exposure to the world of STEM, the concept of educating students in four specific disciplines science, technology, engineering and math.
It fueled her interest in robotics and space and her current status as a mechanical and aerospace engineering major at the University of Florida, which she hopes will lead to a career in the aerospace industry. And it fueled her desire to help other girls pursue STEM careers: In 2019 she founded AstroBot STEM Nonprofit Corp. as her Girl Scout Gold Award project.