Amanda Clawson and her Grade 4 students recently won a contest naming Hancock Health’s new da Vinci 5 surgical system robot.

The Sugar Creek Elementary teacher said, “I just went for it, and the kids were excited about it. I didn’t really think anything would come of it or that we would win because the whole county could enter, but it was just exciting for the kids to win.”

The robot, one of 1,700 in the country, is used in surgeries for hernias, gallbladder and uterine-related issues. Other Indianapolis-area hospitals also have the technology that allows patients to have minimally invasive procedures, faster healing and shorter downtimes.

Student Lili Appleget said, “There’s like little microscopes, and it’ll poke little holes so it can get to what it needs to get to.”

Appleget who came up with the idea to name it “Gizmo.” The fourth graders voted on the name and submitted it for the contest. Lili thinks the name will make kids comfortable when they are in the hospital, and that it’s easy to pronounce.

Clawson’s class got to take a trip to the hospital to learn how the robot works. For the teacher, the experience was not just about winning, but also about giving her students a chance to see the impact of their efforts and learn that they can be a part of something much bigger than themselves. “Especially to have them have important community members recognize their writing and pay attention to their writing. They don’t get that very often.”

The teacher hopes to enter future classes in similar competitions to show her students that they have a powerful voice in science, technology, and beyond. “It was fun, engaging. It got the kids to write more. Even if it wasn’t a writing project, it was more of a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) project, but we included writing with it, so something math related could be fun in the future or continuing our writing journey.

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Female CEOs, thought leaders, students, and government officials on Tuesday took part in the third annual International Women’s Day at the Indiana Government Center.

The free event, co-sponsored by Asian American Alliance and Indiana Commission for Women, was touted as a safe space for women and girls to network and propel their careers forward.

Event chair and organizer Rupal Thanawala wanted to assure women could access the resources. “The conversations are really going to inspire and empower women by giving them access to information.”

Women spoke about interrupting business as usual by being persistent in the face of failure and reaching out to diverse mentorship. There was huge conversation on sponsorships, by having allies who can advocate for you when you’re not in the room.

Thirty businesses and organizations puts their products and services on exhibit at the event.

Barriers prevent women from achieving equality. Women make up 50% of the U.S. population, but according to speakers at Tuesday’s conference, they only make up 30% of CEOs and business leaders. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for every dollar a man makes, a woman only makes 83 cents.

The event was an opportunity to speak to the inequalities women face daily and hear from other women who overcame them.

International Women’s Day will be Saturday, but the leaders encouraged women and girls to celebrate and empower each other all month long.

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he Naptown African American Theater Collective is bringing the Pulitzer Prize-nominated play “Stew” by Zora Howard to the Phoenix Theater Cultural Center this March.

The production tells the story of four generations of Black women navigating grief, loss, and love through food and laughter. Directed by NAATC founder and CEO Lakeisha Lorraine, “Stew” marks its Indianapolis premiere with a talented cast, including Tracy Nakigozi, who plays the role of “Lil’ Mama.”

Nakigozi, who portrays a 12-year-old in the play, says audiences will see how food serves as both a storytelling device and a way to bring people together.

Stew runs from March 13 to March 30 at the Phoenix Theater Cultural Center, located at 705 N. Illinois St. Tickets for opening night are available starting at $30.

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