The Beginning of Some Seriously Cool Robotics

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela

Children everywhere have a need to feel known. A need to feel not just understood but cared for. That is our exact intentions at The Youth Foundation and what influences the success of our after school program, Pwr Hrs. Being a new member to The Youth Foundation I was so excited to start a program and find my own niche. This school year we added robotics to PwrHrs’ mix of academics, fitness, martial arts, nutrition, art, music and culture. This new program became my responsibility. After the trial and error of finding a product that would be of best fit elementary school children, I came across the perfect match. Using a Lego robotic product “WeDo,” children ages 7-12 are able to follow a plan, use their imagination, problem solve, and create a program specific to the needs of their robot, which are all useful life skills.

A fifth grade student at Homestake Peak Elementary School came up to me after our 2^nd lesson and said “ Thank you so much for doing this I love it; it’s so fun!” This was so great to hear, because it reinsures us that the time we spend after school is well worth it. The children are having so much fun in building and programming their robots, they don’t even realize that they are enhancing their science, technology, engineering, mathematics, language, vocabulary, and social skills. 

The easy steps make it possible to build a robot in 15 minutes and then program it to dance, sing, and move before the 45-minute session is up. I have witnessed children leaving with sense of pride and accomplishment after programming their robot and then seeing that what they did worked. It is the idea of cause and effect. What they do as students, sons and daughters, and participants of society has the ability to influence the world around them. Our goal is that this influence be positive.

As the weeks continue in Pwr. Hrs., more specifically the robotics program, and as the lessons get harder, I hope to share more about the children’s experiences and report back with stories about their improvement.

Until Next Time,

Lindsey Fuller, AmeriCorps Coach Across America aka Mrs. Roboto