STEM ROBOTICS: NICAPHOTO & The Community Bots

Beginning in 2017, NicaPhoto formed a partnership with The Community Bots, a New York City based organization providing training in STEM-robotics for middle school girls and teachers in under-served communities.

In June 2017, the founders of The Community Bots, Jack Cooley and Ana Agón, visited NicaPhoto for an eight day workshop, including teacher training. The workshop was a huge success with the girls so engaged that they would ask for more class time. Since 2017, robotics has been a part of the NicaPhoto Program.

During the summer of 2021, students and teachers from NicaPhoto joined The Community Bots for a STEM-robotics course held in Granada. Following the training the students competed in the Nicaraguan World Robot Olympiad, a global robotics competition, making it to the finals.

In 2022, we remodeled the program and began to work with cohorts of elementary school girls. We call the program, Las Chicas de Robotica and students participate in an integrated Robotics/English Program. 80% percent of our students have never used a computer and do not have access to one, thus we began with Digital Literacy. As the girls gained comfort with technology, robotics was introduced and they began learning basic coding with the LEGO Mindstorms robotics kits. It is incredible to see how the self-confidence and self-esteem of the girls increase as they learn new technology and language skills in a supportive environment.

The 2022 program was a huge success and in 2023 we began a second cohort of younger girls. Now in 2024, we have two groups of girls, close to 40 in total, in 4th – 7th grade, participating in two sections of Las Chicas de Robotica.

$126 provides Nicaphoto with internet for 1 month.