Empowering Young Women in STEM meet Caeley Looney
I had the incredible opportunity to sit at the same table as Caeley Looney and her star studded brilliant NASA besties at the Empowering Women in Industry event in New Orleans, and what followed truly inspired me. As we all chatted through the evening, I learned about Caeley’s vision and the remarkable work of Reinvented Inc., especially their hands-on, girls-first STEM outreach program. Knowing that our daughter — now 22 — has always loved the sciences made all this even more meaningful. I found myself thinking: how powerful it is that this non-profit is actively showing young women they can build, create, engineer and innovate.
Caeley is an astrodynamics engineer, CEO of Reinvented INC, and has been featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Education Category. Read the article here--> FORBES
She is L2 Certified: L2 certification is a high power rocketry certification that allows you to fly rockets with more powerful motors, specifically a total installed impulse between 640.01 and 5120.00 Newton- seconds, using J, K, or L impulse class motors.
Caeley has served STEM educational materials to about 400,000 students worldwide since 2019 through her nonprofit Reinvented. Its print and digital magazine for 6th- to 12th-graders features female STEM role models, while its hands-on building programs have put power tools such as drills in the hands of some 17,500 kids. In order to focus on Reinvented full-time, in 2024 Looney left a job where she worked on spacecraft for commercial lunar landings. She studied aerospace engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and space systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
I mean, should I even go on?! Her accomplishments go on and on and I look forward to setting up some time to speak with her - feature more about this incredible young women. For now let's talk about her work with Princess and Powertools!
Princesses attend in-person events, such as Maker Faires, across the country (I had the opportunity to volunteer as princess peach) and teach students how to create their own STEM-based projects. The goal of the program is to show everyone that #BrilliantIsBeautiful and that feminity and engineering are not mutually exclusive. Too often, young girls are presented with the idea that they can be either a princess or an engineer. This program proves to everyone that they can be both.
The demand for our princesses has grown exponentially with each new year, showing the true need for programming like this for girls everywhere.
What Princesses With Powertools Does
The Princesses with Powertools program is built on a bold but simple premise: femininity and engineering are not mutually exclusive. Too often young girls are led to believe they must choose between being a “princess” or being an engineer. This program proves otherwise — that you can be both.
At in-person events (Maker Faires, school STEM nights, etc.), volunteer STEM professionals dress as princesses and teach students how to create their own STEM-based project, often using a power tool like a hand drill. Reinvented Magazine The result? Real engagement, hands-on experience, and the confidence boost that comes with building something yourself.
The Numbers & Reach
Here are a few stats:
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The One-for-One magazine program (separate but complementary) has donated over 20,000 magazines to underserved girls in Title I schools and low-income/rural areas across all 50 states and 70 + countries.
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Back in 2021, their “Year in Review” reported the Princesses with Powertools had taught over 500 girls to use their first power tool across three states. They also taught over 20K kids to use their first hand drill.
This isn't just a cute gimmick; it’s a scalable model making real impact in the lives of young women and girls. Click here to visit the website and learn more->Reinvented
My First-Hand Experience
My husband and I volunteered at the New Orleans makers event, we witnessed the magic in real time. We helped show girls how to build their astrological signs using a power tool on a lighted wall-mounted board. To see first hand a young girl getting excited about this project and enjoying using her drill was such a great experience.
Meanwhile parents looked on, some visibly surprised: “Maybe we should be teaching our girls to use drills and tools, not just toys.” Then the parents would go on to learn more about the impact made from this nonprofit. What exactly is Reinvented and what are they doing to help these young girls break barriers?
"Reinvented Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that aspires to break barriers and aid the movement to get more girls involved in STEM through the creation of the nation's first print magazine for women and girls in STEM, by women in STEM. From sharing the stories and experiences of groundbreaking ladies and nonbinary individuals in the field, to reporting the latest news in science and technology, we hope to pave the way for future generations of women to become leading pioneers of STEM. Reinvented Magazine currently reaches readers located in all 50 states and over 30 countries worldwide.
To date, we have amassed over 100,000 readers of both our print and digital magazine, mainly students in grades 6 - 12. In addition, we have been able to donate over 20,000 magazines and other print materials since 2019 through our One-for-One Program to Title I schools, libraries in low income communities, and other STEM-based nonprofit organizations, adding another 200,000 views to our content worldwide." - Reinvented Website
How You Can Get Involved
There are several meaningful ways to support Princesses with Powertools and Reinvented Inc.:
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Donate: Contributions go directly to funding materials, travel, and volunteer time for the tool-workshops. The “Donate” page states: “Donations also help fuel our new Princesses with Powertool program, where we teach girls how to use their first powertool!”
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Volunteer: If you are a professional, educator, or maker and want to give your time, you can volunteer as a princess — join the fabulous volunteer “princesses” who teach the tool-based projects.
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Donate power tools / materials: While the website doesn’t explicitly list a formal “donate tools” form, you can reach out via the contact or volunteer forms and indicate you have tools or materials to donate for upcoming events. They welcome support of materials and travel costs.
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Partner or sponsor: If you represent a business or organization, there are opportunities to sponsor events, cover program fees for underserved schools, and help scale the impact.
Spotlight on the Annual Space Gala
One of the standout fundraising and celebration events for Reinvented Inc. is their annual Space Gala 2025, held Saturday, November 1 2025 at the iconic Kennedy Space Center Rocket Garden. Learn more here ----> Space Gala
This gala is more than a fundraiser; it’s a celebration of women in STEM, with a star-studded lineup of special guests including retired astronaut Cady Coleman, maker / engineer Xyla Foxlin, and many others.
I’m thrilled to share that our brand, Blue Collar Babe Candles, will have a booth in the Rocket Garden at the gala — and we can’t wait to be part of this incredible event. Not going to lie I'm a tad intimidated to be doing a candle science breakdown and hands on exhibit for people who have literally went to space or are NASA engineers, woah. But i'm so excited not only to support the mission, but to meet fellow supporters and young women being empowered through this powerful work. Come join us:
Date: Saturday, November 1st, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
After Party: 10:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Where: Kennedy Space Center Rocket Garden
Why This Matters
In a world where girls often lose interest in STEM as they grow older (research shows lack of role models and hands-on experience are major factors), this kind of programming meets a real need.
It isn’t just about drilling holes or building light-up signs. It’s about identity: showing a girl that she can hold the drill, that she can lead the project, that she belongs in that space. And when parents see that, when communities support that, the ripple effect is enormous.
From the evening I spent with Caeley in New Orleans to the volunteering moment, to seeing the engagement and joy on the girls’ faces — I am more convinced than ever that this is a mission worth getting behind. To our daughter and to the next generation of young women discovering their love of science, engineering, making and building: you’ve got this. And soon enough, you’ll light up the sign and the world.
If you’re reading this and wondering how you can help — whether by donating, volunteering, or simply spreading the word — I encourage you to take the next step. Programs like Princesses with Powertools don’t happen without support. And you can make a difference.
Let’s stand together, tool-in-hand, and show these girls that brilliant is beautiful. Get involved today. Learn more here----> Reinvented Magazine
