Tech Integration Focus Group meets at Mountain Lake Park

The Warwick FTC Fund recently hosted a focus group meeting at their newly acquired incubator space at Mountain Lake Park. The meeting aimed to chart the course for their mission to expand coding, robotics, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in Orange County and beyond.

The meeting was facilitated by Paul Woods, of the non-profit Warwick FTC, and Christine Leo, of STEMbridge Consulting. Warwick FTC sponsors Team TACA (Total and Complete Amateurs), which was started by Woods and three middle school students as a community team in 2016.

The focus group worked to prioritize the next steps in their mission by using feedback from community stakeholders. One of the central questions discussed was, “How do we nurture a community of young minds passionate about robotics, STEM, and AI?” As part of this discussion, they brainstormed challenges that might arise and explored ways to generate support for their mission.

One of the key themes that emerged from the discussion was the need to provide access to STEM education to as many young people as possible. However, not all teachers have the ability to teach these subjects effectively, so the group emphasized the importance of creating training opportunities for adults as well.

The group also discussed the possibility of holding events at Mountain Lake Park, such as analyzing traffic data or exploring bear activity in Warwick, to engage children and make them invested in their community.

In an effort to increase mathematical knowledge through robotics, the focus group explored different programs, such as First Lego League, First Tech Challenge, and First Robotics Competition, which cater to students from elementary school to high school and complement workshops offered by the team. These programs offer hands-on problem-solving experiences and open up opportunities to develop workshops in the community.

The group suggested that beginning STEM education for children 5 to 6 years old was “crucial to building a strong foundation.” The discussion also acknowledged the importance of parent support and building a strong community around robotics.

The focus group concluded by discussing how to prioritize their initiatives. With a clear roadmap for the future, Team TACA and their focus group attendees will work to pave the way for a tech-centric future in Orange County.

Anyone interested in helping with this initiative can contact Paul Woods at warwickftc@gmail.com.