Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

Mary Golda Ross broke barriers as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation's first female engineer, helping design classified airplanes and spacecraft for the secretive Skunk Works division. Raised with a love of math and Cherokee values, she was the only girl in her high-school math class before becoming a teacher and later earning an engineering degree. The story follows her path through a male-dominated industry, the challenges of keeping her work under wraps, and her later role as a mentor for Native Americans. This picture-book biography highlights how her cultural roots and determination fueled groundbreaking achievements in aerospace.