Hi, my name is Owen. I am an incoming freshman at Georgia Tech, but before that, I will be taking a gap year to volunteer with STEM Inspires, an amazing non-profit which introduces robotics and STEM education to middle and high school students in Rwanda. STEM Inspires was established by my FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teammate in 2024 to enable a new generation of aspiring engineers. Through the use of FIRST robotics programs as the basis for its outreach and education, STEM Inspires has already created 35 new FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams, launched Rwanda’s inaugural FLL national championship, and helped engage hundreds of students and mentors in advancing STEM education. But there’s a lot more work to be done! With the tremendous interest around these efforts, there is a unique opportunity right now for this work to benefit not just the current Rwandan students but to have a long-term, sustainable impact on Rwandan education and increase the country’s overall population of STEM professionals. HOW CAN I HELP? In addition to helping expand the middle school FLL program that was successfully launched last year, I will also be working with the Rwandan government and schools to start the first FTC programs in the country. FTC, or FIRST Tech Challenge, is a high school robotics program and is the direct next step for the kids on the Rwandan FLL teams. My roles in establishing these FTC programs will be the following: Help set up a centralized FTC makerspace in Kigali Train the first round of FTC teams in programming and CADing for the 2024/24 season Work with and train the local mentors and coaches so they are prepared to lead a self-sustaining program for years to come I also hope to design and develop a training simulator that could be used for the new Rwandan teams and for any new FTC team anywhere. MY BACKGROUND I have participated in FLL and FTC robotics since the 7th grade and these programs have completely changed my life. I cannot imagine where I would be today without those incredible STEM and team-based experiences, so it will be a great privilege to help bring those opportunities to kids in Rwanda. As a founding member and captain of Wolfpack Machina, Waring School’s world-champion FTC team, I am eager to share everything I learned in helping to launch and develop my school's successful FTC program! For more information about my experience and qualifications, please visit me online: Online Resume | LinkedIn I will also be traveling with other talented and passionate FTC teammates and you can find information about our collective goals and experiences at the Wolfpack Machina team website. THE GOAL STEM Inspires will be providing housing, security, and transportation within the country, and I am working and fundraising this summer to cover my airline tickets, meals, and incidental expenses. My goal is to raise over $5k for 12 weeks in Rwanda before Christmas and 8 more weeks in the first quarter of 2024, with the hope we can launch Rwanda’s inaugural FTC national championship in early 2024. If I raise more money than I need, any excess funds will be donated to STEM Inspires. More information about STEM Inspires’ mission and vision can be found at their website: https://www.steminspires.tech/ More information about FIRST's robotics programs can be found at their website: https://www.firstinspires.org/ Lastly, we are also looking for corporate sponsors to help cover the costs of materials, robotic game “kits”, and setting up an FTC makerspace in Kigali. If you are interested in being a corporate sponsor, please contact me or reach out to STEM Inspires directly (https://www.steminspires.tech/contact). Thank you for your support!
Artículos relacionados
