Spreading STEM to Kids in Our Community
Ann Arbor Farmers Market
Over the summer we had two opportunities to run demonstration booths at the Market. While we were there, we drove one of our robots for kids, both young and old, to see. We handed out stickers to kids as well as pamphlets with information about our robotics program, #MIFIRSTLikeAGirl, FIRST robotics and our school. We spoke to 1,000 people!
Washtenaw Promise
Washtenaw Promise is a nonprofit organization that works with young kids, families, and schools to encourage early learning and STEAM education. They run a annual science fair where we volunteered for a second year this season. Last year we ran activities created by Washtenaw Promise. This year we created our own STEM activities to share. We impacted 500 people.
Brick Bash
Brick Bash is an annual community event that is dedicated to showcasing creativity through LEGO. We ran a booth there as well as volunteered. Over 5,000 people attended which allowed us to spread the message of FIRST to people of all ages in our community.
Y5/Kindergarten Jumpstart Camp – Not a Box
At our school, upcoming kindergarteners and Y5 students we have something called jumpstart. Jumpstart is where these students come and learn all of the ropes of Emerson and basic material.
During jumpstart they were reading a book called Not a Box. So we were asked to come and present our robotics program. We took our robot covered with a box and had them guess what was inside.
New Student Orientation
We ran a short presentation at our school’s new student orientation explaining about the opportunities available to them. We gained one new member from this presentation!
School Assemblies
This year, we used boxes from Terracycle to collect markers and snack wrappers. Terracycle takes these items that would otherwise be thrown away and turns them into items for public parks – for example, benches and toys.
To promote this, we presented at both the lower school and middle school assembly. This Outreach helped us keep Emerson an Evergreen – environmentally friendly – school. We have reached nearly our entire school of 342 students and 70 faculty and staff.
Hands on Museum Night
The Emerson Robotics program volunteered at the Hands On Museum night at Emerson School. Hands on Museum is a local science museum that was invited to bring fun science activities to our school. Several hundred people came to see and participate in the various activities at the tables we were running.
We ran 6 of 7 tables; there were a range of activities from alka-seltzer powered rockets to plastic bags filled with water and stuck full of pencils demonstrating surface tension.
Emerson Homecoming
The robotics team set up tables, a photo booth, handed out cookies, stickers and more at our school’s annual Homecumming. We had also set up a field to show off an old robot known as the “Pizza Bot” and hand out stickers with it. In addition we set up a trifold posters to inform visitors about our team and recruit new members. Over 400 people attended!
Eagles’ View Podcast
We were invited to make a special episode on our school’s podcast about our inititiative, #MIFIRSTLikeAGirl. The podcast is listened to weekly by our 300+ students and their families
Listen to our podcast here!
Emerson School Science Night
Every year, our school hosts a science night for students to present their science projects. We were invited to set up our field to introduce our youngest students to Emerson Robotics.
