The United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, in partnership with Murfreesboro City Schools, recently launched LEGO™ Robotics as a pilot afterschool program. Through funding from the MOTT Afterschool Grant, the United Way was able to provide the program to Bradley Academy and the Discovery School at Bellwood.

LEGO™ Robotics kits are sets of materials that enable children without formal training in engineering and computer programming to design, build, and program small-scale, robots. Through the use of LEGO™ Robotics, students are required to read and follow instructions, learn to write code, work with gears and motors, and use a computer to run a machine of their own construct. Students are able to take the knowledge that they have collected and use that as a basis for new creations and problem-solving.

Dr. Kristy Mall, Educator for Discovery School, said, "Students are not just playing with a toy... These skills are going to prepare them for a future that is not yet written. It has planted a seed that will grow into a possible career and future for a group of children that have never worked with robotics before. They have literally opened a door that may not have presented itself before, and helped them to discover aspirations, abilities, and dreams."

The Mott Foundation's Afterschool Grant supports initiatives that promote learning beyond the classroom, especially for traditionally underserved children and youth as a strategy for improving public education.

Murfreesboro City Schools hopes to expand the program to additional afterschool sites in the future. To learn more about LEGO™ Robotics, visit www.education.lego.com/en-us.