For Amanda Drewel, what takes place outside of the classroom can be just as important as what happens at the desk. As a service-learning Bonner Leader, expectations were high. She was on the lookout for a program that would serve her needs as a young professional hoping to get kids excited about STEM fields. Not exactly the breeziest of tasks. But since her placement at Robberson Community School, Amanda has proven to excel in the community as an educator and coordinator with a little help from robots. Amanda describes the program idea as a recognizable need to empower young learners in the areas of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Familiarity with these fields will likely help students find higher paying jobs. This can help mitigate the poverty cycle many of them are in. The robotics program uses LEGO education to encourage an interest in engineering and coding. The children design and build robots that they are then able connect to their Chromebooks. Then, they build a code capable of executing sequenced movement in the robot. Typically, a lesson begins with … [Read more...] about Using robots to teach kids about STEM