This fall, Polk County students were invited to learn about the growing field of robotics, thanks to a partnership between the Museum of Science and Industry and the GiveWell Community Foundation’s George W. Jenkins Fund.

  • MOSI and GiveWell launched Robot Roundup outreach program
  • Students in Bay area were invited to learn about robots
  • Programing and further education was also discussed

MOSI science educators visited 15 low-income elementary schools and taught hundreds of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders how to program robots through its 'Robot Roundup outreach program.'

“It was really fun because I didn’t know anything about robots and I wanted to learn a lot about them,” said William Gaztambide, a 5th grader at Phillip O’Brien Elementary School.

The goal of the outreach program was to give students hands-on experience with not just building robots, but also the science behind how the machines operate.

“Programming is one of those things that you usually don’t see until high school, but getting them started now, especially since it’s such a big and growing field, it allows them to get their feet wet really early and get interested in it really fast,” said Kristina Moreau, an outreach instructor for MOSI.

Many of the students said the workshop inspired them to think about their future.

“Maybe when I get older, I might want to try to build a robot, but that means I have to pay attention in school and read more in school about robots,” said Delquoia Bouie, a 5th grader at Phillip O’Brien Elementary.

The robotics workshops have already been held at schools in Lakeland, Winter Haven, Poinciana, and Auburndale. MOSI’s staff said more workshops are being scheduled at elementary schools in Fort Meade, Davenport, and Eagle Lake and Mulberry.