Growth on the Road to the Indiana VEX State Championship

The big event is right around the corner! This season we wanted to share the stories of some of our State Robotics Initiative Grant recipients who’ve made it to the 2020 Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship!

BES Robopros are from Lawrenceburg, IN

BES Robopros

Bright Elementary School

Lawrenceburg, In

At State, this team will be easy to spot. Look for their fierce mascot and the bubbly students chanting “B-E-S Robopros, B-E-S Robopros!”  High in team spirit and in talent, this team from Lawrenceburg, Indiana has made a name for themselves, despite this being their first season. The Robopros team is comprised of 8 students who have been practicing twice a week since August. 

The Robopros gracefully demonstrate what it means to be resilient. According to their coach, their first robot design did not work out, they had to brainstorm and work together to get their finished robot: the Rhinocorn. Their season was not easy, there were rough patches tense with conflict, frustration and even disagreements. Those moments did not stop this team from growing, working together and succeeding. 

“Robotics means a lot to our students. To them robotics means designing and building a great robot, following the engineering process, learning how to work together, having a place to feel included, and most importantly- having fun!”

— Coach Michelle Hofer

Coach Michelle Hofer and the team grew together throughout the season. The students learned how to listen to one another, analyze ideas based on merit, and how to value themselves and their teammates. Coach Hofer also learned great things from her team, including how to unify students with different interests and abilities in order to achieve a central goal. In addition, she has learned how to guide students through the different processes of robot design while allowing them to think through each step themselves.

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Leo Robotics is housed in Leo-Cedarville, IN

Leo Robotics

Leo Elementary School & Leo Junior/Senior High School

Leo-Cedarville, IN

Leo Robotics is comprised of teams at Leo Elementary School and both the Leo Elementary & Leo Junior/Senior High Schools. Representing Leo- Cedarville, Indiana - all four teams will be competing at State this year! 

The middle school teams, 141A and 141B will be competing at State in the VEX IQ Middle School division. These teams are completely focused on success at State while having a good time! The students love working on the different components of robotics; from completing the engineering workbook, solving math problems to determine the correct ratios for their robot’s gears, and being able to collaborate with one another.

“Robotics is important to us because we love solving problems and working with other people! We have met new friends that are both on our team and on other teams.”

— Coach Shelley Crozier

In the Elementary division, teams 26194A and 26194B worked through various challenges to make it to State. 26194B had to re-strategize after their best driver broke their arm! Both teams were faced with adversity at a few competitions. Team A had to problem-solve quickly when their robot’s brain started to act up right before a competition. Team A had to shift into high gear to brainstorm, implement their solutions, and test out whether it would work out.

Coaches Joe Kennedy and Shelley Crozier have both seen their teams grow. Crozier noted that, “As the season went on, I saw that their skills and confidence grew with each practice.” Kennedy is proud of his team members’ growth in mathematics this season and how much his students love working together and supporting one another.

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Rocket Fuel Robotics

Riverside Intermediate School

Plymouth, IN

Rocket Fuel Robotics is representing their home base of Plymouth, IN.

The energetic team from Riverside is comprised of 22 students. During the regular season, the team practiced twice a week for 90 minutes. However, moving into State the team has added practices as needed to best prepare for the big day. Riverside team members started drafting designs for their bots over the summer in preparation for the team’s official start in September. This summer time preparation has definitely set the tone for the team. They are hard workers whose motivation comes from honing in on each team member’s individual role and making sure they all remain focused.

“Robotics allows our students to participate in a challenging activity in an encouraging, fun, and exciting environment. ”

— Coach Laurie Wandland

Like the other amazing robotics teams, Riverside had to problem solve. At one competition, the B team was sure they’d win but were unfortunately outscored in a separate finals match. Instead of letting the defeat get them down, the team worked hard to refine their driving and programming skills in order to win their last qualifying tournament earning them a spot at State! 

The students have grown tremendously in their coding knowledge, as well. In addition to the growth in that skill, team members feel strongly about the importance of robotics. Coach Laurie Wandland says, “Robotics allows our students to participate in a challenging activity in an encouraging, fun, and exciting environment. Students are able to apply their knowledge of STEM skills and the design process to create their robot and then compete with teams from across the state, country, and world.”

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Good luck to the BES Robopros, LEO Robotics, Rocket Fuel Robotics and the 350+ teams competing at State on March 7th!

A special thank you to the fantastic coaches who helped us recognize their awesome students with this blog post.

New Staff Spotlight: Welcome to Margaret, Our Communications and Development Coordinator!

Evolving from a small one-person organization founded back in 2001, TechPoint Foundation for Youth today serves as a leader in STEM education in Indiana. Our team today consists of  6 full-time employee positions and we are thrilled to announce the addition of a new position and new team member. Welcome, Margaret Geist!

Margaret has joined the team as the Communications and Development Coordinator. Her role focuses specifically on the marketing and promotional needs of the Foundation, while also aiding in design and content creation, and supporting the Office of Advancement. Margaret graduated from Butler University in 2019, boasting a strong resume of past experience in Marketing and Communications and a passion for serving her community. 

While Margaret has only been with us a little over 2 months, she feels right at home with the TPF4Y family. “I wake up every morning eager to get to work, and I find it hard to leave at the end of the day. It seems crazy to say that I have my dream job at the age of 22, but that’s really how it feels!” 

If you have noticed the increased frequency, improved content and additional engagement with our various social media channels lately, that is likely Margaret! The Foundation is thrilled to have her on the team.

Margaret has taught us the “ABCC” rule to “Always be Content Creating,” so if you have content to share, please contact Margaret@TechPointYouth.org for more information!

Volunteer Spotlight: STEM Partner Steve Gillman

Steve Gillman, Eli Lilly and Company retiree

When Steve walks down the hallway at Fox Hill Elementary he’s greeted by enthusiastic students. From sharing a bright smile to offering a fist bump, the students Mr. Gillman has volunteered with in the past are eager to show appreciation of their friend. These cheerful greetings illuminate Steve’s love for the STEM Partners program: the opportunity to build a lasting rapport with students!

Steve Gillman (left), Ms. Nelson (right) and her 4th grade class.

Steve Sorting isopods for the class’s environmental factors experiment.

In preparation for Ms. Nelson’s lesson over investigating environmental factors, Steve showed up nearly an hour and a half before the science lesson to set up for the experiment. He meticulously arranged all the materials including sorting two variations of living isopods. In doing so, he allowed Ms. Nelson to maximize her teaching time, providing more time for the students to complete their writing assignments and math problems. As a best practice, Steve urges other STEM Partners to volunteer and help out with activities that aren’t glamorous like setting up experiments before class, making copies, and even helping with lunch duty. He explains that those small tasks will go a long way with fostering a relationship with your partner teacher.

“Try to refrain from being an expert. For instance, if a kid asks a question, assist them in finding the answer.” Steve suggests this best practice to new and existing STEM Partners.

Students and Steve observe the two types of isopods responding to the different moisture environments.

During the experiment, Steve assisted Ms. Nelson in walking around the room to listen in on the different workgroups. Steve stopped at each group to ask thought-provoking questions about the behaviors the students observed during the experiment. Effortlessly, Steve called on the students by name and encouraged them to think through what they were observing. Steve’s skill with interactions with the students has been cultivated over the years through his participation in STEM Partners and other volunteer roles.

“Volunteering with this program helps me understand the challenges kids in low-income areas face, and it helps to bridge the generational gap,” says Steve. “In the long run, I hope the program assists in reducing the economic gap by allowing the kids to understand that their STEM education can lead to successful careers.”

Students observing the different behaviors of two isopod types in an effort to classify the insects by type.

Steve values this program and wants to encourage others to make a difference in their local schools by participating too! If you’re not sure whether you should become a STEM Partner, Steve suggests going to shadow an existing Partner. You can arrange a time to accompany the Partner to their classroom and see the program in action. After you’ve shadowed a Partner, Steve wants you to give the STEM Partners program a try! 

Steve passes a cup of 8 squirming isopods to a hesitant student.

Thank you, Steve, for volunteering as a STEM Partner and thank you to Ms. Nelson and her fourth-graders for participating in the STEM Partners program! This program wouldn’t be what it is today without the commitment by its STEM Partners and teachers!

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Steve Gillman has volunteered with the STEM Partners program for 6 years. He has worked with a school in the Indianapolis Public School Corporation, Fox Hill Elementary, and Northview Middle School. He is currently volunteering at Ms. Nelson’s 4th-grade class at Fox Hill and at Ms. Brooks’s 6th-grade class at Northview Middle School.

Volunteer Spotlight: STEM Partner Stephanie Stout

STEM Partners is an innovative program that connects talented teachers with experienced STEM professionals to implement hands-on, minds-on curriculum. Employees from Eli Lilly and Company, IU Health and HNTB volunteer as "STEM Partners" for the duration of a school year, working one-on-one with a teacher to create and enrich the STEM learning environment in the classroom. We are excited to highlight our volunteers and share their rewarding experiences in this volunteer spotlight series!

Stephanie (on the left) pictured with Miss Ashby’s second-grade students.

Stephanie Stout
Research Scientist
Eli Lilly and Company

Stephanie has been a STEM Partner since 2014. Over the years she has volunteered at Blue Academy in Decatur Township and Sycamore Elementary School in Avon, where she currently volunteers with Miss Ashby’s 2nd graders.

Growing up with a mother who taught, Stephanie Stout spent quite a bit of time in the classroom and loved it! Throughout her schooling, Stephanie had several science teachers who inspired and fostered her love for science. For Stephanie, having the opportunity to return to the classroom - an environment she loved as a kid - to share her enthusiasm for science with young students is what drew her to volunteer as a STEM Partner.

“How often do you walk into a room and see 25 faces beam with excitement that you’ve arrived and that they are about to start something fun?” she says of the 2-hour sessions she attends twice per month.

During her five impactful years as a STEM Partner, Stephanie has learned that kids value engaging role models. Stephanie understands that young children yearn for adult role models, and even spending a few moments with them in small groups can help build a relationship.

“Engaging with children can sometimes be intimidating for adults with limited exposure to kids,” she says. “But I have found that students (and teachers) are incredibly gracious when you put yourself out there.”

When Stephanie is interacting with students, Miss Ashby recognizes the clear benefit of Stephanie’s presence in the classroom: students are able to get more hands-on time in small groups because Stephanie is there to assist in leading discussions and providing guidance. Without Stephanie’s presence, it would be a challenge for Miss Ashby to provide enough attention to each group around the classroom.

Although everyone would like to volunteer, it can be tough to find time in your schedule for it. Due to Stephanie’s strong commitment to the program, she plans ahead to establish time for STEM Partners. Stephanie crafts her schedule early in the school year and blocks out her calendar with “out-of-office” notations. Of course, there are days where Stephanie’s schedule is packed and she doesn’t think she can take time away from work, but once she’s in the classroom she always enjoys herself!

Stephanie’s advice for new STEM Partners is to be persistent if you encounter difficulty in communications - or even scheduling - with your paired teacher. Stephanie learned that teachers juggle multiple streams of communication and additional demands that can make connecting with a STEM Partner difficult. Don’t let this challenge discourage you! Maintain persistence and reach out to TechPoint Foundation for Youth or your STEM Partner contacts at your organization for help! For those who aren’t sure whether STEM Partners would be a good fit for them, Stephanie adamantly states that the program will likely be one of the most rewarding parts of your day or week! 

Thank you Stephanie for volunteering as a STEM Partner and thank you to Miss Ashby and her second graders for participating in the STEM Partners program! This program wouldn’t be what it is today without the commitment of the STEM Partners volunteers and teachers!

Hour of Code 2019 impacts over 3,000 students!

Two Deer Run fourth graders during an Hour of Code session.

Central Indiana students went on a quest for candy, blasted obstacles with dragons, and mapped pathways for Flurbs last week, all in the name of computer science. Though the activities featured fictional fantasy characters, more than 3,250 students gained real coding experience. Hour of Code began as a simple hour-long introduction to computer science, designed to show that anybody can learn the basics and garner interest in the field of computer science. Since its inception, Hour of Code has evolved into a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, whether it be through a one-hour online activity or a community-wide celebration. From December 9th to December 13th, TechPoint Foundation for Youth (TPF4Y) staff and volunteers mentored students in over 125 classrooms at six schools across central Indiana. CoderDojo Indiana, a TPF4Y initiative, facilitated Hour of Code in the districts of IPS, Pike and Lawrence Township schools in order to celebrate Computer Science Education Week for the sixth year in a row.

Lalita Sawyers-Locke, a volunteer from Roche, and a first grade student at Skiles Test Elementary work together on an Hour of Code activity.

Volunteers who work in the technology sector visited 125 classrooms, shared about their careers, and assisted the students in the coding activities. Volunteers contributed more than 171 hours to Hour of Code throughout the week!  Speaking of his own experience at the schools, TPF4Y’s Vice President of STEM Education George Giltner said: “It was an absolute joy seeing students getting excited about coding and working together to solve problems. We are so grateful for our volunteers to help connect the classroom activities to real-life applications so that students can see the potential of learning to code."

Some students had familiarity with the programs, however, to some it was brand new. The online activities allow for an easy introduction into the skills of “drag and drop” coding. 

Volunteer Brian Owens from Carbonite shares his expertise with a student at Skiles Test Elementary.

“Hour of Code was a great way for students throughout the state to get introduced to coding,” said TPF4Y Volunteer & Events Coordinator Andy Fulton. “The activities kept the kids engaged and they felt more confident in their abilities at its conclusion. It’s amazing to see things ‘click’ for the students as they continue through the online lesson. We are so appreciative of the teachers for allowing us into the classrooms for this event.”

While Hour of Code has wrapped up for this year, the CoderDojo Indiana initiative is always looking for dedicated volunteers passionate about bringing computer science to underserved students. Currently, there are 32 CoderDojos in Indiana; CoderDojos are out-of-school time clubs hosted at schools, libraries, and community centers where students in grades K-12 can work collaboratively on their own coding projects, with the support of adult volunteers. To volunteer for a CoderDojo near you, visit the CoderDojo.com map or view the map to sign up a student.  

Want to try Hour of Code activities at home?

For kindergarteners and 1st graders try: Sequencing with Scrat, 

For intermediate students (2nd - 4th graders):  Candy Quest 

5th and 6th graders can try their hands at: Dragon Blast.

THANKS TO OUR 2019 HOUR OF CODE PARTNERS:

Lessonly Hosts IPS Students for Job Scavenger Hunt!

As one of Lessonly’s 2019 Brighter Indianapolis Fund community partners, TPF4Y has had the pleasure of engaging the Lessonly team in several volunteer opportunities, allowing them to witness firsthand the impact their support is having on TPF4Y’s hands-on STEM programs.

On October 30th, TPF4Y coordinated a customized volunteer experience for the Lessonly “llamas,” bringing 24 students from IPS Jonathon Jennings School 109 to the brand new Lessonly office space for a look at the jobs that help a successful company “Do Better Work.”

"We were fortunate to host a group of kids at the Lessonly HQ and introduce them to all of the different departments and jobs that our tech industry supports here in Indy,” said Katie Townsend, Lessonly’s Director of Enterprise Sales who also oversees Brighter Indy. “It's so critical to draw awareness to the hundreds of different types of professional roles waiting for these kids when they graduate, and also the importance of finding something that they truly enjoy doing.”

Lessonly Co-founder & CEO Max Yoder spoke to the students at the end of their visit.

The students, 2nd - 6th graders who were members of the school’s four VEX IQ robotics teams that started as a result of TPF4Y’s State Robotics Initiative start-up grant, experienced six stations during their visit: sales, marketing, services, client experience, product, and operations. Activities at these stations ranged from building LEGO llamas as a team, trying out video conferencing, and breaking down the concept of incorporating the company’s llama mascot into their brand. Of course, on the day before Halloween, costumes, candy, and spook-tacular treats had to be included in the festivities!

“It's been such an honor working with TP4Y this year and to witness how their programming makes such a positive impact on the children they serve,” Townsend concluded. “We loved sharing our culture and company with these students, and are thankful to TP4Y for making the experience possible for the kids and our Lessonly employees!"

If your company is interested in creating a custom volunteer experience with help from TPF4Y, contact us at Info@TechPointYouth.org for more information on corporate sponsorships!

Girl Powered Robotics Event!

International Day of the Girl is celebrated globally on October 11th in order to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face throughout the world. With girls being one of TPF4Y’s three priority populations, we decided to celebrate locally with our first ever Girl Powered robotics event!

Almost 50 girls from VEX Robotics teams in central Indiana participated in the event, with a focus on first- and second-year teams. After enjoying pizza and a chance to meet girls from other teams, participants split into three groups to visit stations led by student volunteers that focused on:

Design - Claire Bishop, a freshman who splits her time between homeschooling and Greenfield Central High School, led a brainstorming session that covered the pros and cons of different robot designs and prompted the girls to discuss the strategy involved in choosing the best design to fit your team’s goals.

Programming - Lauren Meyers, a Junior from Heritage Christian School, led the coding station where she reviewed basic strategies for coding a robot to perform tasks autonomously. She introduced coding to those students who had never coded before and covered more challenging coding strategies for experienced students.

Game Play - Jessa Steffen, a 7th grader from Hamilton Heights Middle School, led the game play strategy station where she reviewed all the tasks that need to be completed throughout this year’s game. She broke down the different strategies a team might use to accomplish these tasks and discussed the importance of clock management.

After each group had a chance to participate in all of the stations, the girls listened to a short panel discussion featuring the three student volunteers as well as Casey Matczak, a parent of one of the girls who has a career in electrical engineering.

The event and panel discussion were designed to encourage more girls to get involved in STEM programs, especially robotics. “It’s important for girls to engage in STEM because you use STEM in your everyday life,” said Jessa Steffen, one of the student volunteers. “And we need more women in the workforce.”

If you’re interested in supporting TPF4Y’s work with girls and other priority populations throughout Indiana by ensuring that more events like this can take place, please consider making a donation on Giving Tuesday! We appreciate your dedication to our goal of providing access to #Robots4All!

3rd Annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon!

On your mark… get set… code! On July 20th, CoderDojo Indiana (CDI), an initiative of TechPoint Foundation for Youth, hosted its third annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon, presented by Lessonly. This free, kids coding event engaged more than 99 student coders from around Indiana in a full day of computer science, food, and fun!

The day began with an opening ceremony led by George Giltner, VP of STEM Education, at 9am. Then, those students with some coding experience chose from three exciting challenges: Scratch, Python, or Ruby to showcase their coding skills. Each coder had 2 hours to complete programming challenges from different prompts given, trying to find solutions to problems within the codes!

Meanwhile, beginner coders had the chance to attend My First Dojo, where kids were able to try out a variety of hands-on CS activities using Makey Makey, Sphero, VEX IQ robots, and more.

After a pizza lunch, the Project Expo began! During the Project Expo, kids from all age groups had the opportunity to showcase their homemade coding projects. These projects were broken down by category: Games, Social Enterprise, and Scratch. They presented their projects to other kids attending the event and the judges, explaining what their program does, and answering questions along the way!

While the Project Expo was going on, we were also busy celebrating the 50 year anniversary of the moon landing with the MoonHack! Beginner hackers could try their hand at coding a NASA rover across the surface of the moon, overcoming the obstacles that awaited them!

The day concluded at 3:30pm with awards and prizes for kids in every category. Thanks to our friends at Raspberry Pi Foundation and individual donations, we were able to provide amazing prizes for our Scratch, Ruby, and Python Challenge Excellence and Project Expo winners! Our friend Max Yoder, CEO of this year’s presenting sponsor Lessonly, presented the awards to all of the winning students!

Congrats to all the winners - and check out our Facebook album for more pictures!

Want to join your local Dojo? Email myron@techpointyouth.org for information!

SRI Helps Teachers Fulfill New License Renewal Requirements

Most Indiana teachers are required to renew their teaching license every five years, which entails accruing 90 hours of professional development during that time frame. New professional license-renewal requirements were recently announced by the state of Indiana, requiring teachers who are renewing their license through “professional growth points,” which is the most common renewal path, to ensure that 15 of their 90 hours are workforce-related hours. This new requirement goes into effect on July 1, 2019, and is meant to give teachers professional development related to better preparing students for the workforce.

TechPoint Foundation for Youth, through its State Robotics Initiative, is offering 175 elementary and middle school teachers a chance to gain those hours by engaging their students in a fun - and free - robotics program.

Establishing a robotics team requires a coach - usually a teacher - who meets weekly with students for 10-16 weeks. TPF4Y funds the first year, providing a re-usable robotics kit, team registration, and professional development training on how to manage a robotics team. Coaches are also trained to complete a “classroom to career” activity with their students to show how competitive robotics directly relates to real world college and career pathways, a grant requirement that directly correlates to the teacher license renewal requirement. Teachers from schools awarded a grant:

• Receive $760 worth of robotics supplies

• Receive 15 hours of training that count toward Professional Growth Points that align with new teacher license requirements per House Enrolled Act 1002

Taking on the role of robotics coach gives teachers a free and fun way to gain the hours of professional development they need while also setting their students up for success in STEM jobs, something that is especially important given the increased STEM workforce demands in our state. Between 2017 and 2027, STEM jobs will grow 13% in Indiana (versus a 7% growth for non-STEM jobs). Plus, the median earnings in Indiana STEM jobs are more than $15 per hour higher than their non-STEM counterparts, and unemployment is significantly lower in STEM occupations. Many of the new workforce-related professional development opportunities that are surfacing for teachers are focused solely on fulfilling this new requirement, but lose sight of the opportunity for true professional development. TechPoint Foundation for Youth’s grant provides a long-lasting program that benefits Indiana students, while simultaneously helping teachers to achieve their professional development goals.

With a high impact program like the State Robotics Initiative, the numbers often speak for themselves. There is a 93% retention rate for teams receiving the comprehensive robotics start-up grant program from TechPoint Foundation for Youth, which speaks not only to the success teachers have had in implementing the program, but also the impact it is having on student participants and eventually, the Indiana economy.

Since the launch of the State Robotics Initiative in 2016, TechPoint Foundation for Youth has increased the number of VEX IQ robotics teams in Indiana from 73 to 1,536, more than any other state in the country. That means that more than 18,000 students are participating on those teams and, when asked, respond that they are more likely to attend college and pursue a STEM career thanks to their experience on the team.

Currently, eighty percent of Indiana school corporations have at least one school with a VEX IQ robotics team, but there are still more than 1,000 Indiana elementary and middle schools who are eligible for a robotics start-up grant and have yet to apply. TechPoint Foundation for Youth has $133,000 worth of grants to give away to 175 grant recipients for the 2019-20 school year.

Robotics helps kids learn to solve problems, create things, collaborate, and communicate with each other and their supervisors, vital 21st century workforce skills employers are asking for in their new hires. Other benefits include encouraging students, with a focus on reaching girls and children from underappreciated communities, to consider STEM careers, which will help Indiana increase minority representation in tech careers.

Creating a program like the State Robotics Initiative requires a cross-sector collaboration between school corporations, corporate partners, and community partners. Some of TechPoint Foundation for Youth’s partners who are making this happen for Indiana students include: the Indiana Department of Education, Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Guggenheim Life and Annuity, Roche Diagnostics, Eli Lilly and Company, and others. These partners each play a role based on the needs they see in our communities, whether that’s finding ways to connect students and teachers to real world experiences, building a pipeline of future employees, or developing workforce skills. 

TechPoint Foundation for Youth needs the support of donors, volunteers, and coaches in order to make this program successful, so please contact us at info@techpointyouth.org if you see yourself filling one of these roles. If you want to check a specific Indiana school’s eligibility for the grant, you can also visit the robot map webpage.

TPF4Y Selected as Brighter Indy Grant Recipient!

TPF4Y is thrilled to announce our selection as a Brighter Indianapolis Fund community partner alongside three other deserving Indy-area nonprofits. The fund was formed in 2017 when local tech company Lessonly decided to give 1% of revenue and massive amounts of volunteer time to organizations in the Indianapolis community. Every year, Lessonly chooses four partner organizations and supports them through financial and volunteer commitments.

"TechPoint Foundation for Youth is removing barriers and inspiring youth in Indiana to pursue STEM careers,” said Alex Mislan, Lessonly Services Delivery Manager. “We're grateful for the opportunity to work with such a forward-thinking organization that is preparing the next generation of Lessonly llamas!"

As part of TPF4Y’s Brighter Indy partnership with Lessonly, the company will specifically be supporting two upcoming CoderDojo Indiana-facilitated events: the youth hackathon on July 20th and Hour of Code in December. The Lessonly team will also engage in several other volunteer opportunities during the 2019-20 year, allowing them to witness firsthand the impact their support is having on the hands-on STEM programs powered by TPF4Y. Lessonly is especially excited to have an impact of TPF4Y’s priority population, which is composed of Indiana students from families identified as low income and/or of low educational attainment, especially students who identify as female or non-white. This population is under-represented in STEM training and courses and, as adults, in STEM-related careers.

“It’s rewarding to have the opportunity to give back to the community we call home and to work with each of these fantastic nonprofits,” said Katie Townsend, who leads the Brighter Indy Fund and serves as Lessonly’s Director of Enterprise Sales. “We’re thrilled to increase our impact and help deliver more meaningful learning experiences for children across Indy.”

This year’s other Brighter Indianapolis Fund community partners include: Big Green, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and Nine13Sports.

Indiana Represented at 2019 VEX World Championship!

TPF4Y would like to recognize the tremendous accomplishments of all 120 Indiana robotics teams who competed at the 2019 VEX World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, in April. It was an historic year for Indiana VEX teams, with more Indiana representation at the event than ever before! What’s even better? Twelve different home teams won awards at varying levels! (You can also view the Indiana Teams Worlds Results for the rankings of all of our Hoosier competitors!)

A few highlights we want to feature:

• Out of the 12 teams that made it to the Elementary School Division finals, only two were from the United States and both were Eaglebots teams from Woodview Elementary in Nappanee, Indiana, coached by Jake Simons. They represented their state and country with pride accomplishing a second and sixth place overall finish. The Eaglebots also received the Elementary School Division Excellence Award, the most prestigious award a team can win.   

• In the Middle School Division finals, the Steel Eagles 1 from Zionsville Middle School, coached by Andy Seward, achieved a 3rd place finish, making them 1 of only 3 middle school teams from the United States to make the finals and the only team from Indiana.

• Two teams from Indiana placed in the top ten for World Skills. Team 491X from Pioneer Jr-Sr High School, coached by Thomas Tam, had the 8th highest Skills score. Team 574C from Wawasee High School, coached by Jed Wandland, had the 2nd highest Skills score. 

While we are very proud of the teams mentioned above, we want to congratulate each and every team that qualified for the 2019 VEX World Championship - just making it to the competition is a huge accomplishment! We hope that all of the Indiana teams had as much fun competing as we did cheering you on! 

We are looking forward to the upcoming season to see all the excitement generated by the VRC challenge, Competition Tower Takeover and the VEX IQ challenge, Squared Away IQ. The countdown to next year’s Indiana VEX Robotics World Championship starts NOW!

$38,000 Raised at 2019 Mira Awards to Expand Design It Make It Challenge!

In partnership with the Indiana University School of Education, TechPoint Foundation for Youth is thrilled to announce our newest program: the Design It Make It Challenge!

Design It Make It has been created to promote and celebrate the convergence of designing and making in a world supported by digital technologies. Modeled after inquiry-based learning models, Design It Make It allows students to use play, imagination, innovation, and critical thinking to solve a real-world challenge that changes each year.

Our pilot program with 20 schools was a huge success and culminated with the Design It Make It showcase hosted on Saturday, March 10th at Lucas Oil Stadium during the 2019 Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship. This year’s challenge was to create a solution that improves human health. Six teams were selected as finalists and invited to present their projects at the showcase. Three awards were given:

• Judges Top Award: Adams Central Jr/Sr. High - Monroe, IN

• Design It Award: Binford Elementary School - Bloomington, IN

• Make It Award: Riverside Intermediate School - Fishers, IN

At this year’s Mira Awards gala on Saturday, April 13th, both Salesforce and Angie's List provided $10,000 gifts in response to TPF4Y's challenge to raise funds to expand our Design It Make It program. Paired with the generous financial contributions of the Mira attendees, we raised $38,000 to support the participation of more than 1,000 students in the Design It Make It challenge during the upcoming school year!

4th graders from University Elementary in Bloomington display their project: The Reading Treehouse.

6th graders from Fishers-based Riverside Intermediate School’s Engineering Design Team submitted a project entitled Global Predator Protection: Solutions for Zero Hunger, which received the Make It Award.

8th graders from Adams Central Middle School in Monroe, Indiana, pose with their project: Toilet Transfer, which received the Judges Top Award.

2019 Bridge Builder Award Recipient Announced!

Stephen J. Dutton, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, is the 2019 Bridge Builder Award recipient.

TechPoint Foundation for Youth is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has selected Stephen J. Dutton, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, as the 2019 Bridge Builder Award recipient.  

The award will be presented to Mr. Dutton during the TechPoint Mira Awards gala at the JW Marriott on April 13th. The Mira Awards gala, recognizing individual and organizational success in the Indiana technology industry, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary to a sold-out crowd.

The Bridge Builder Award is given annually to an individual, program, or organization that has transformed science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for Indiana students who are typically underrepresented in those same industries.

Stephen J. Dutton was selected in recognition of his nearly two decades working to help form and shape the organizations that became TechPoint, Inc. and TechPoint Foundation for Youth, serving a combined 27 years as a member of the Board of Directors for these organizations. As a founding board member of TechPoint Foundation for Youth, Steve’s role in setting the groundwork for the governance and structure of the organization has been a crucial component in allowing the Foundation to invest millions of philanthropic dollars into our state and impact hundreds of thousands of students since 2001.

“TechPoint Foundation was envisioned as a way for the tech community to give back,” said Mr. Dutton. “The focus was always on finding a way to supplement the philanthropy made possible with the influx brought about by the new economy being buoyed by Indiana’s local manufacturing and financial sectors.”

Steve played a crucial role in positioning both organizations to successfully impact thousands of students, professionals, and companies throughout Indiana and the impact he made continues to influence their direction.

“TechPoint and its predecessors have moved Central Indiana from a technology backwater to a national player,” said Mr. Dutton, “and Techpoint Foundation for Youth has done so much with so little. Its focus on STEM education has moved the needle in Indiana.”

Steve began his career advising on securities, tax, and M&A matters before moving to advise on technology transactions during what was the very infancy of the tech industry. Steve has spent over four decades in practice, becoming an often under-the-radar fixture within the technology ecosystem. Steve’s amazing abilities have been recognized throughout his career, including The Best Lawyers in America, 2003-2019; Lawyer of the Year, 2015 and 2017; Indiana Super Lawyers, 2004-2017. Steve graduated magna cum laude from both Illinois Institute of Technology and Indiana University School of Law.

“I will be forever grateful for the role Steve has played in our success as an organization,” said Laura Dodds, Executive Director of TechPoint Foundation for Youth. “Ironically, considering his unbelievable humility, I have affectionately referred to Steve as the Grand Poobah of the Foundation as there is no question he doesn't have the answer to from his time with the board. There is truly no one like him.”

TPF4Y’s Second Annual Pi Day Celebration Impacts Nearly 1000 Students

4th graders from New Augusta Public Academy South with a volunteer from First Internet Bank.

On March 14th, TPF4Y hosted our second official celebration of Pi Day presented by First Internet Bank! Pi Day is celebrated annually by mathematics fanatics around the globe as the day’s date (3.14) bears a striking resemblance to pi, the mathematical constant used in computing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.

Thanks to a generous gift from First Internet Bank, TPF4Y was able to organize Pi Day events at local elementary schools with local STEM professionals volunteering to lead a math-focused activity provided by our partner, Math Pentathlon.  

3rd graders from Indian Creek Elementary with a volunteer from First Internet Bank.

TPF4Y worked with nearly 1000 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students from New Augusta Public Academy South, Indian Creek Elementary, Deer Run Elementary, and Sidener Academy to celebrate Pi Day by playing Juggle, a Math Pentathlon board game. New Augusta Public Academy South and Indian Creek Elementary had over 40 volunteers from First Internet Bank, Liberty Mutual, GEICO, Sogeti, and many more local companies leading the activity and helping students see how fun math can be.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making Pi Day 2019 a success!

4th graders from New Augusta Public Academy South with a volunteer form Sogeti.

While Pi Day has passed for this year, we are still looking for volunteers to help facilitate Math Pentathlon games for students this summer and during the 2019-20 school year. Want to learn more? Think you might be able to help? Contact Volunteer@TechPointYouth.org!

2019 - Indiana VEX Robotics State Championship

The largest robotics state championship in the country took place on Saturday, March 10th at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, produced by TechPoint Foundation for Youth, powered by Guggenheim Life and Annuity and hosted by the City of Indianapolis. This is the second time the event has been held at the venue, bringing 361 Indiana elementary, middle, and high school teams together to compete for the opportunity to advance to this year's VEX Robotics World Competition being held in Louisville, Kentucky, at the end of April. More than 12,000 people were in attendance for the event.

Maddie Thumma and Leanne Cushing from BattleBots

Very special guests, Mayor Joe Hogsett, RECF CEO and Chairman of the Board, Dan Mantz, and IDOE Computer Science Specialist, Jake Koressel helped kick off the event, all presenting during the opening ceremony. Leanne Cushing and Maddie Thumma from BattleBots made a surprise appearance, with many words of encouragement for all of the female robotics students in the audience!

IndyVRC founder, Former Mayor Ballard, along with key representatives from top level sponsors including Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Indiana Department of Education, Roche Diagnostics, Eli Lilly and Company Foundation and additional supporting partners, attended to present awards including the coveted Ballard Teamwork Challenge trophies.

In addition to the nearly 1,900 robotics matches occurring on 50 different robotics fields throughout the day, an interactive TinkerFest presented by GEICO Cares took place that allowed students to tinker, make, discover, invent, create and play. 20 booths inspired more than 1,000 students through hands-on activities - and it was free to participate. TinkerFest also showcased finalists of the the inaugural Design it Make it Challenge. The contest, presented by TechPoint Foundation for Youth and IU School of Education, challenged K-12 teams to present a solution to a real world problem by designing and building a device that improves human health (see results below).

"This event was truly a milestone in our efforts with the State Robotics Initiative, and we were absolutely thrilled to put on a great event celebrating the success of Indiana robotics students," said VP of STEM Education for TechPoint Foundation for Youth, George Giltner, "With that being said, our work with the SRI will not be complete until every student in Indiana has access to a robotics program. We are looking forward to further expanding the impact of the initiative in the coming year."

The SRI grant program has helped launch more than 960 VEX IQ elementary and middle school teams since 2016. The 2019-20 grant is now open and the TPF4Y Robot Team hopes to award an additional 175 grants to eligible elementary and middle schools.

Due to the unprecedented growth of VEX IQ teams in Indiana, the state was awarded 110 qualifying spots for the 2019 World Competition - more than any state in the U.S. The 110 Indiana teams competing at Worlds will be matched up against 1,564 teams from over 30 countries in Louisville, Kentucky, from April 24-30.

Video recaps

Don’t miss these dynamic videos created by Query Productions for the State Championship:

Video played during the opening ceremonies

Learn more about robotics here: https://www.techpointyouth.org/robots/ Video credit: Query Productions - www.queryproductions.com

Final Results

Elementary VEX IQ

Middle School VEX IQ

Middle + High School VRC

Design it Make it Challenge Results

Judges Top Award

Adams Central Jr/Sr High, Monroe, IN

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Design It Award

Binford Elementary School, Bloomington, IN

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Make It Award

Riverside Intermediate School, Fishers, IN

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State Finalists:

New Castle Middle School, New Castle, IN

Clear Creek Elementary, Bloomington, IN

University Elementary, Bloomington, IN

Binford Elementary School, Bloomington, IN

Celebrating Women's History Month with STEM Pioneers!

March is #WomensHistoryMonth and we are celebrating by highlighting female pioneers, both past and present, in STEM fields. Read on to learn more about women astronauts, chemists, computer scientists, geologists, mathematicians, paleontologists, physicists, and more!

Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first African American woman to become a physician in the United States & the only female physician author in the 19th century!

Marie Tharp was an American geologist & oceanographic cartographer who helped create the 1st scientific map of Earth's entire sea floor, revealing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge & changing the way earth scientists thought about the Earth's crust & its movement. (photo: Bruce Gilbert)

Florence Bascom was the 1st woman to be hired by the U.S. Geological Survey & the 1st woman to earn a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins. She's most known for her work with petrography (the description & classification of rocks, usually by microscopic study).

Dorothy Hodgkin was a British chemist who developed protein crystallography, for which she won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964. Her research led to the discovery of the structure of penicillin, vitamin B12 & insulin. (photo: Royal Society of Chemistry)

Hypatia was the first female mathematician whose life is reasonably well recorded. She lived in Alexandria, Egypt around 400 AD & was known as a great teacher & wise counselor.

Rachel Carson was a marine biologist & conservationist who started her career at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She's the author of multiple books, including Silent Spring, which helped inspire the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency!

Samantha Cristoforetti is an Italian European Space Agency astronaut who holds the record for longest uninterrupted spaceflight of a European astronaut. She's the 1st Italian woman in space & is known as the first person who brewed an espresso in space!

Katsuko Saruhashi was a Japanese geochemist most well-known for her groundbreaking research on radioactive fallout. She was the 1st woman to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Tokyo.

Fran Allen is a computer scientist who was the 1st female IBM Fellow & the 1st woman to receive the Association for Computing Machinery’s Turing Award (aka the "Nobel Prize of computing"). (photo: Rama, Cc-by-sa-2.0-fr)

Mary Anning was a paleontologist in the early 1800s who became world renowned for Jurassic marine fossils she discovered in the cliffs along the English Channel & contributed to important changes in scientific thinking about prehistoric life.

Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to fly in space! In 1963, she orbited the earth once every 88 minutes by operating her spacecraft manually. (photo: RIA Novosti archive)

Rosalind Franklin was a chemist best known for her work on the X-ray diffraction images of DNA while at Kings College London, which led to the discovery of the DNA double helix. (photo: personal collection of Jenifer Glynn)

Emmy Noether was a German mathematician who made important contributions to abstract algebra & theoretical physics. She was described by Albert Einstein as "the most significant creative mathematical genius" of her time.

Christine Darden is an American mathematician & aeronautical engineer who spent her career at NASA researching supersonic flight & sonic booms. She was the first black woman at NASA’s Langley Research Center ‏to be promoted into the top rank in the federal civil service.

Shafi Goldwasser is a computer scientist and 1 of 3 women to win the Association for Computing Machinery’s Turing Award (aka the "Nobel Prize of computing"). She's a professor at both MIT & Weizmann Institute in Israel, cofounder of Duality Technologies & director of the Simon Institute!

Sally Ride was the 1st American woman in space (3rd overall) & remains the youngest American astronaut to have traveled to space (at the age of 32)!

Grace Hopper was a celebrated computer scientist who earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from Yale before becoming a U.S. Navy rear admiral & one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computer.

Marie Curie developed of the theory of radioactivity (a term that she coined). She was the 1st woman to win a Nobel Prize, the 1st person (& only woman!) to win twice, & the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences (#physics & #chemistry).

Jocelyn Bell Burnell is an astrophysicist who, as a postgraduate student at Cambridge University, co-discovered the first radio pulsars (rapidly spinning neutron stars formed in supernova explosions)! (photo: Daily Herald Archive / SSPL via Getty Images)

Florence Nightingale is widely known as the founder of modern nursing - International Nurses Day is celebrated on her birthday! - but was also gifted in mathematics and became a pioneer in the use of infographics and statistical graphics!

Now Recruiting AmeriCorps VISTAs!

Since August 2014, TPF4Y has hosted 12 VISTA members who have dedicated their time to the growth and sustainability of our programs. Our VISTAs are an invaluable asset to the work we do and many of our successes, as well as the improvements and changes we continue to implement, are a direct result of their work!

TPF4Y is looking for three new VISTAs to start in June 2019 to help us to grow our impact. Our VISTAs play a key role in ensuring that underserved students continue to have access to experiential STEM learning opportunities. Check out the positions below and share with your network! We can’t wait to welcome these three new members to our team:

Outreach & Community Coordinator (click here to learn more & apply!)

This VISTA member will serve as a liaison between corporate partners, current and prospective mentors, school administration, and teachers to support the growth of STEM Partners, an innovative mentorship program. He or she will also help to identify and launch new math and science after-school enrichment programs, assist program staff with creating a volunteer development plan to improve volunteer retention rates, and help to build a sustainable program model for STEM enrichment during school breaks.

K-12 Program Coordinator (click here to learn more & apply!)

This VISTA member will help us to grow and maintain our State Robotics Initiative (SRI) as the number of VEX IQ robotics teams in Indiana has grown to more than 1,500! SRI has provided thousands of Indiana elementary and middle schools with VEX IQ robotics kits over the past three years. This VISTA will help to recruit schools and community centers to start robotics teams, assist with teacher training, provide event support, and work to develop strategies to sustain the growth of youth robotics in Indiana.
 

AmeriCorps VISTA members live and serve in some of our nation's poorest urban and rural areas. With passion, commitment, and hard work, they create or expand programs designed to bring individuals and communities out of poverty. Want to learn more about becoming a VISTA? Visit the AmeriCorps VISTA FAQ page.

Questions? Contact George@TechPointYouth.org!

Celebrating Black History Month with STEM Leaders!

February is #BlackHistoryMonth and we're celebrating thought-leaders from all STEM fields! Here, we’re highlighting some of the advances made in science, technology, engineering, and math thanks to Black & African American pioneers!

Percy Lavon Julian was the first African American chemist inducted into the National Academy of Sciences & his work with steroids led to treatments for diseases like rheumatoid arthritis & glaucoma. He also attended DePauw University right here in Indiana!

Valerie Thomas, inventor of 3D television, patented the Illusion Transmitter that extends television & makes images look three dimensional. She also worked for NASA overseeing the Landsat team that built the first satellite to send images from space!

Vivien Thomas was an African American surgical technician who developed the procedures used to treat cyanotic heart disease in the 1940s without any education past high school.

Katherine Johnson's 35 year career as a NASA mathematician led to the success of U.S. manned spaceflights & her portrayal in the movie Hidden Figures! She was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2015.

Mark Dean is the co-creator of the IBM personal computer released in 1981 & contributed to the development of the color PC monitor. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1997.

Gladys West is a mathematician best known for helping develop the Global Positioning System & her work to mathematically model the shape of the Earth. West was inducted into the U.S. Air Force Hall of Fame in 2018.

Jerry Lawson is an electronic engineer best known for his time at the SiliconValley semiconductor firm Fairchild, where he helped create the world's first computerized cartridge-based video game system.

Born into slavery, George Washington Carver went on to become an agricultural scientist, teaching at Tuskegee University for 47 years. He is especially well known for inventing over 300 uses for peanuts (although he did not invent peanut butter!).

Marie Maynard Daly was biochemist and the first African American woman in the U.S. to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry.

Lonnie Johnson is a NASA engineer best known as the inventor of the Super Soaker!

The 1st African American woman in space, Mae Jemison attended med school, became a physician & served in the Peace Corps before becoming a NASA astronaut. She also holds 9 honorary doctorates in science, engineering, and the humanities.

Ernest Everett Just was a pioneering African American biologist who's primary legacy is his recognition of the fundamental role of the cell surface in the development of organisms.

Jane Cooke Wright was a pioneering cancer researcher & surgeon, most known for her contributions to chemotherapy. Wright pioneered the use of drugs to treat breast cancer & skin cancer and co-founded the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Physicist George Carruthers invented the ultraviolet camera for NASA's launch of Apollo 16 & his invention recorded the first observation of molecular hydrogen in outer space. Not surprisingly, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2003.

Shirley Ann Jackson is the first African American woman to earn a doctorate at MIT and the second African American woman in the U.S. to earn a doctorate in physics. She is currently the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Edward Alexander Bouchet was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from any American university, completing his dissertation in physics at Yale in 1876.

Giving Tuesday 2018

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Giving Tuesday.
On November 27th, give thanks by giving back with a donation to TPF4Y.

From students, to volunteers, to teachers, to schools...

TPF4Y programs unite everyone in our mission to inspire underserved students
to become the future leaders of our state's STEM workforce.

But don't just take our word for it.

"I like the robotics team because I get to be an engineer. I feel more confident. I've learned that teamwork is better than doing things alone."
- Emma, 5th Grade Student

“I’ve learned how to work with my team better. Robotics helps me learn to build because I want to become an engineer. I’ve learned to try new things at life.”
- Nate, 5th Grade Student

“Robotics is very educational. I learn how to have good teamwork. It is fun because you can work with others. I feel more confident at school because I can help others with building.”
- Jarrah, 5th Grade Student

“It is so important to invest our time as volunteers into our youth.  Many of our kids do not have positive outlets for their creativity and being a part of the robotics team is giving allowing them to develop skill not only in robotics, but also in problem solving.  I have seen an increase in curiosity and drive in the students who take part in this program.  Kids are working together to better themselves, and it is bringing together groups of students who may otherwise not interact with each other.  It is awesome to watch!!”
- Joanna Schnepp, Volunteer

“Students crave attention from adults, and when they see teachers or community members volunteering to spend time with them as they showcase their skills, it excites them. It lets them know that people care about them and want them to have opportunities to better their future. It is my hope that it inspires them to also volunteer when they are older and show kindness to others through their actions.”
- Heather Rumple, Volunteer

"The knowledge I gained at the TechPoint Foundation training allows me to support my students as they build, collaborate, and problem solve this competition season. The training reinforced the goals and vision set for my team and allowed me the forum to ask questions from trainers as well as receive tips and advice from experts in the field. Thanks to the training, I am able to teach my team how to delegate responsibilities, analyze problems, experiment with solutions, and document progress.”
- Jennifer Moore, Teacher & Robotics Coach

“I appreciate the training I received from TechPoint Foundation for Youth. Everyone was patient in explaining how the robot works, how to get my team together and what a successful season should look like for a first year, second year team. We are now in our third year and I continue to be thankful for the support, trainings offered, and quick responses to questions that come up. The robotics program here at Mississinewa all began with a grant from TechPoint Foundation for Youth. The ways this program has impacted students is unbelievable. Students who were once so shy are finding a voice. Those that really didn't care to come to school are finding excitement in learning the world of robotics. Others are gaining confidence, making friends, and having fun while learning to collaborate.”
- Alysha Scott, Teacher & Robotics Coach

“The TechPoint Foundation for Youth's robotics grants have helped us to foster change in the way we view student programs.  Through robotics education, we are now able to serve a sector of our student population that has been overlooked in the past.  Our building climate is now more inclusive and we are proud to be able to partner with TechPoint Foundation to offer students with interests in technology and engineering a fresh approach to STEM education.”
- Amanda Varner, Assistant Principal

“I really can’t think of a better way to drive the future of life sciences in Central Indiana than to support TechPoint Foundation for Youth's work with STEM initiatives like VEX robotics. We at Roche are so proud of the legacy we helped build in Indianapolis more than 7 years ago with the launch of the IndyVRC and are thrilled with the statewide growth TPF4Y has achieved over the past few years.”
- Carole Puls, Roche Diagnostics

So mark your calendars and celebrate Giving Tuesday on November 27th with a gift to TPF4Y
to support STEM programs for Indiana students!

Click here to make your gift now!

2nd Annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon!

On your mark… get set… code! On July 28th, CoderDojo Indiana (CDI), an initiative of TechPoint Foundation for Youth, hosted the second annual CoderDojo Indiana Hackathon. This free, kids coding event engaged more than 80 student “code ninjas” from around Indiana in a full day of computer science, food, and fun!

The day began with an opening ceremony led by Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett at 9am. Then, experienced code ninjas chose from three exciting challenges: Scratch, Python, or GameCraft. Each ninja had 5.5 hours to earn point by programming solutions to different prompts given in each challenge - the more difficult the challenge, the more points they earned.

Meanwhile, beginner ninjas had the chance to attend #MyFirstDojo, where kids were able to try out a variety of hands-on CS activities using Makey Makey, Sphero, VEX IQ Robots, and more.

The day concluded at 4pm with awards and prizes for kids in every category. Thanks to our friends at Raspberry Pi Foundation, we were able to provide an amazing prize for our Scratch and Python Challenge Excellence winners: travel stipends to attend Coolest Projects North America in Santa Ana, California, this September. Deesha Roopesh of Carmel and Christopher Wang of Fort Wayne will both travel to this national event to represent Indiana later this year.

Want to join your local Dojo? Email myron@techpointyouth.org for information!