Posted on by Guest Writer
St. Clair Research and Innovation Team - Biz X magazine
"It's truly inspiring to see the excitement on students' faces as they engage with the LEGO SPIKE Prime robots, unlocking their creativity while exploring STEM and automobility concepts. Through this initiative, St. Clair College's R&I team is proud to honour our partnerships with local school boards and ensure these resources are put to meaningful use, empowering students in our community to innovate, learn, and thrive in the evolving world of STEM, technology, and automobility." -David Potocek, Research Project Manager, St. Clair College
19
Dec

St. Clair Research and Innovation team gifts iPads, STEM Robot kits to local school boards

Christmas came early for Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent school boards with a special gift delivery mid December by St. Clair College’s Research and Innovation team.

Following the successful completion of the OVIN 2.0 Robotics Summer Camp project, the Research and Innovation team distributed the remaining program resources, including 122 LEGO SPIKE Prime robots, 22 Apple iPads, and charging stations to four school boards in the region.

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“This generous donation will assist in improving our connection to our ACCESS students, providing them with a worthwhile STEM experience. We are certain this will make a profound impact on our ACCESS students, and we look forward to seeing what they will learn with these.” – Shea VanderGriendt, Principal, Tilbury District High School

The distribution of resources began on Wednesday, Dec. 11, when the team visited Tilbury High School, part of the Lambton Kent District School Board, to donate equipment directly to their ACCESS program. The team also visited Ursuline College High School in Chatham, part of the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.

Both schools expressed their sincere gratitude for the donation and are excited to incorporate the added resources into their science and math curricula.

On December 19, 2024 The team dropped off an equal number of resources to representatives at the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board and the Greater Essex County District School Board.

In addition to the donation of resources, St. Clair College is also providing an in-house developed STEM robotics curriculum to accompany the LEGO SPIKE Prime robots and Apple iPads. This curriculum will offer educators and students access to structured learning opportunities using physical manuals as well as online opportunities, ensuring that the tools are paired with the knowledge needed to maximize their potential. By combining resources with educational support, the College is developing a comprehensive approach to advancing STEM and robotics education in the region.

Over the past summer, the St. Clair College Research and Innovation team hosted a series of STEM Robotics camps at the College’s Main South Campus.

“Through our online platform and STEM initiatives at St. Clair, we are opening doors for underserved youth. By mobilizing resources and expertise, we aim to deepen their connection to knowledge. Every child – regardless of background – deserves to feel valued and empowered. With the generous support of OVIN funding, this initiative marks the first step in creating an environment where youth can thrive. Armed with the right tools, they will be ready to, create, lead, and succeed in an interconnected, hybrid world.” -Dr. Karamjeet Dhillon, Director of Research and Innovation, St. Clair College

Supported by a $300,000 grant from the Ontario government through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), the camp offered equity-deserving youth from community groups in Windsor-Essex a chance to explore LEGO robotics and coding during an immersive five-week program in July and August 2024.

Most physical resources from that camp were distributed to the respective community groups for future use at their own facilities, but there were some left over, and those educational tools are now fully deployed into the community.

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Guest Writer