Robotics Outreach Initiative
The STEAM Robotics Outreach Initiative is an initiative that partners with community organizations to design and implement holistic robotics programs for learners of all ages in the Greater Connecticut River Valley community. Utilizing LEGO robotics and Makey Makey kits, the Robotics Outreach Initiative provides a fun and hands-on introduction to the mechanics, coding, engineering process, and circuitry that goes behind making a robot. More broadly, the Initiative strives to increase the self-efficacy of students in STEM.
Founded in Fall 2021, the Robotics Outreach Initiative has since worked with learners ranging from elementary school students to adult learners through both one-day events and long term programs ranging from 4 weeks to 8 weeks. Past and current partners and events include Holyoke Boys & Girls Club, Girls, inc., The Valley Opportunity Council, Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, Geek is Glam, Science for the People Fair, Springfield Prep, and the German Gerena Community School. This Fall 2023, the Robotics Outreach Initiative is facilitating an 8 week robotics program at the German Gerena Community School for a group of fifth graders and has also expo’d at the Girl Scouts event, Geek is Glam.
Maze Craze: Robo-Dance Adventure! 7-Week Robotics Program
ONGOING: 10/2/24-11/20/24, Wednesdays from 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM at Southampton Road School
** Reach out to Kristine Le (kle@smith.edu) if you want to be involved! **
In this program for 4th-grade students, participants will build the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Kit’s robot, “Tricky,” from scratch. They will learn to program the robot using Blocks code, allowing it to move through remote control and respond to a color sensor that triggers specific movements based on the colors it detects. Students will use these control methods to navigate a maze. Afterward, students will program a “victory dance” for the robot, which will be activated when the robot detects a particular color at the end of the maze. The program will conclude with an introduction to circuitry, where students will use Makey Makey kits in a circuit piano activity. The goal of this program is to introduce students to engineering and robotics in a hands-on, holistic way. “Holistic” here means teaching the mechanics, programming, circuitry, and conceptual thinking behind creating a robot. Ultimately, the program aims to boost students’ confidence in technology and STEM fields.
Women in STEM Saturday
9/28/24, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM at Connecticut Science Center
One Saturday of each month, the Connecticut Science Center highlights a group of STEM professionals to host drop-in activities in their exhibit galleries designed to inspire young women and gender minorities to consider careers in STEM. This is an opportunity for visitors to meet positive role models and for you to share the group/s work, research, and passion with the next generation of aspiring Scientists. The Robotics Outreach Initiative hosted an interactive robot demo highlighting a mobile robotic arm, a drumming LEGO robot, and a robot that moves based on what color it sees. Visitors got to see the robots work, work with them themselves, and talk with our team!
Robotics Outreach Initiative Interest Meeting
9/24/2024, 4:15 PM – 5:15 PM at Jandon Center
The Robotics Outreach Initiative Interest Meeting is for students interested in joining the Robotics Outreach Initaitive and is a meeting time to discuss who the ROI is, what work they do, and how students can get involved.
In Fall 2023, the Robotics Outreach Initiative is facilitating an 8 week robotics program at the German Gerena Community School for a group of fifth graders.
The Robotics Outreach Initiative ran a 6-week long program at German Gerena Community School during the 2023 spring semester.
The Robotics Outreach Initiative ran a 4-week long program at Springfield Prep in the 2022 fall semester.
In past years, the Robotics Initiative has partnered with Girls, Inc of the Valley and the Holyoke Boys and Girls Club to host robotics workshops in addition to holding a booth at the People’s Science Fair at UMass Amherst.