In remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the tragic terror attacks on American soil, X-Bots Robotics Inc., an award-winning, community-based high school robotics team operating under FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), said it will launch a pilot expansion of its X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program across six sites in California on Saturday, Sept. 11, through its partnership with PPG Foundation and Boys & Girls Club (BGC).
September 11th is Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance, a day in which individuals are asked to find a volunteer opportunity and address a critical need in the community.
The X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program is a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program that partners students in a robotics team with a BGC. Together, they build specially designed physical therapy cars for toddlers with cerebral disorders affecting their body mobility.
X-Bots Robotics, the PPG Foundation, and BGC said they will provide an opportunity for hands-on STEM learning by enabling students to put their skills to work to serve families with toddlers who have mobility issues.
The pilot expansion will launch at the following BGC sites in California:
- Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera: 7905 Greenleaf Ave, Whittier, CA 90602
- BGC of Cathedral City: 32141 Whispering Palms Trail, Cathedral City, CA 92234
- BGC of Fontana: 7723 Almeria Ave, Fontana, CA 92336
- BGC of Malibu: 30215 Morning View Dr, Malibu, CA 90265
- BGC of Santa Monica: 1238 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica , CA 90401
- Santa Clarita Valley B&G: 24909 Newhall Ave., Newhall, CA 91321
“In the spirit of unity, honor, and compassion, X-Bots Robotics, PPG Foundation and Boys and Girls Club will join together to create a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on technical engineering programming that not only develops students’ leadership skills and inspires them to pursue a career in STEM, but also serves local families,” said Elisa Avila, executive director of X-Bots Robotics.
“On September 11th, through the generous support of the PPG Foundation, we will launch a pilot expansion of the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program across six Boys & Girls Club sites in California to assist families who have toddlers with mobility issues,” she said.
Mobility workshops to modify 60 cars
Each BGC partnership will host one X-Bots Robotics Mobility workshop, enabling students to apply practical solutions, peer-to-peer learning, skills sharing, and immersive lessons in engineering. The workshops will reach an estimated 290 students—including both X-Bots Robotics teams and BGC members—and modify 60 cars.
PPG Foundation said it is supporting X-Bots Robotics in its expanded STEM program to help a greater number of students, toddlers, and their families. As a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, and specialty materials, PPG said it recognizes the importance of immersing young people in STEM concepts that are linked to real-world innovations such as robotics and mobility technology that may one day benefit society.
“At PPG, we know that education sits at the helm of the innovation that will shape our world for generations to come,” said Malesia Dunn, executive director of PPG Foundation and Corporate Global Social Responsibility. “Through this partnership, our aim is to open future opportunities to both the students who will find and explore their passions in STEM fields and families in need.”
“In all that we do, we aim to protect and beautify the world,” she added. “The X-Bots Robotics program reinforces this by encouraging future engineers and scientists to experience the joy of experimentation and discovery and by demonstrating the immediate impacts both community service and STEM concepts make in the lives of others.”
STEM students to help peers
At the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier | Pico Rivera, the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program has focused on applying GoBabyGo, an open-source movement focused on mobility solutions, to provide STEM educational and leadership opportunities for middle school and high school students. The program is a combination of peer-to-peer learning paired with a half-day, hands-on workshop that draws in the families and toddlers who benefit from the finished product.
“Our youth are the recipients of services. Here’s an opportunity for our kids to say, ‘You know what? When things are not so well, you can still make an impact on other people’s lives,’” said Oscar Hernandez, executive director of BGC Whittier | Pico Rivera. “We want to continue to make that impact for families on Sept. 11, and every day of the year.”
Founded in August 2015, X-Bots Robotics aims to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders at a young age. The Whittier, Calif.-based nonprofit organization provides students with a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on technical engineering training that develops their leadership skills to inspire others through outreach efforts.
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