Robotics4U celebrates first anniversary

Robotics4U, which teaches children the science and tech skills they need to make their own robots, celebrated its first anniversary with a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Goshen Chamber of Commerce.

Robotics4U started at the Orange County Sports Club in Florida last November with five students. The school has since grown significantly, mainly by word of mouth.

The founder, Monali Verma of Chester, went looking for robotics and engineering programs in the area for her nine-year-old son. But she didn't find much. So as an engineer and teacher, Verma decided to start her own school.

Verma says it's more important than ever to embed knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math in young minds, and to teach them to apply this knowledge in the real world. She has lots of experience herself, having spent more than 15 years in electronics engineering and the software industry. But her favorite saying is, "The expert in anything was once a beginner."

The program is open to youth ages 5 to 15. The center offers classes and workshops in programming and coding as well as robotics. The kids create products like the Spirograph Machine, Motorized Shredder, Musical Sequencer, Load Transferring Bot, Launcher Bot, Gripper, Toddle Bot, Line Follower & Communicator, Music through Xylophone, Mars Rover Bot and Snow Plowing Bot, among many others.

The center also offers spring and summer camps and workshops where Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts Workshops can earn STEM and robotics badges.

Monali wants to add a fourth "R" to the core subjects the upcoming generation will study

"Reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmetic and robotics!" she said.

For more information, email robotics4ucenter@gmail.com, call 845-554-3106, or visit robotics4ucenter.com.