The Dumas Wesley Community Center has partnered with the Alabama School of Mathematics and Science (ASMS) to provide a seven-week Robotics Workshop for school-age children. The workshop is a part of the Center's Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) education programming in the Summer Recreation Program.
The workshop is led by Samuel Graham, a senior at ASMS, who is teaching participants about how a robot is designed from the ground up. "These kids are so incredibly smart. They are easily some of the most creative thinkers I've ever seen," said Graham. "Building a robot is a way for kids to see how smart they are and that they are capable of doing anything they put their mind too. I challenge the kids to come up with solutions to problems. I believe STEAM programming improves creative thinking and logical reasoning in children," said Graham.
Children are also learning about coding and prototyping. "One of my favorite days was when the kids made paper airplanes. Some of the kids had never made an airplane before. It was a fun way to teach them about prototyping. They made an airplane, tested it and then had to redo their design. The kids learned that sometimes the first approach isn't always the best, especially when designing something," said Graham.
Graham is an active member of the ASMS Robotics Team and an ASMS Peer Advisor. After graduation, he plans to attend college and major in Computer Science or Computer Science Engineering to continue his passion for science and technology.
Click here to watch a video featuring Dumas Wesley's robotics workshop on WRKG.
