Robotics Club Imparts STEM Lessons To Students In The Caldwells

CALDWELLS, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Rotary Club of the Caldwells. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Rotary Club of the Caldwells recently supported a hands-on robotics lesson for local middle school students, helping introduce young learners to STEM concepts through real-world application and mentorship.

Rotarians Brian Barbera and Ernani Sadural coordinated the session on Jan. 15 in partnership with the Essex Tech Robotics Club, Beaks N’ Bolts, which led the lesson and guided students through interactive robotics activities. Six middle school students participated in the session, gaining exposure to robotics, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in an engaging and supportive environment.

The lesson was led under the guidance of Rob Lorenzo, advisor to the Essex Tech Robotics Club, whose leadership has helped position the team as both competitive innovators and community educators. During the session, the robotics club also showcased their FIRST Tech Challenge: Decode, a global robotics competition in which teams from around the world design, build, and program robots to complete complex challenges.

In addition to competing at a high level, the Essex Tech Robotics Club is deeply committed to community outreach. Promoting STEM programs such as FIRST Tech Challenge is a critical component of their competition requirements and reflects their broader mission to inspire younger students to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

“This type of collaboration benefits everyone involved,” said Brian Barbera. “It gives middle school students early exposure to STEM while allowing high school robotics teams to strengthen their leadership and outreach efforts.”

The Rotary Club of the Caldwells is proud to support initiatives that empower youth, promote education, and foster innovation within the community. Partnerships like this highlight Rotary’s commitment to building future leaders through service and collaboration.

For more information about the Rotary Club of the Caldwells or to learn how to get involved in future service projects, visit www.caldwellsrotary.org or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

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