August 3, 2024

As part of our robotics outreach program, we've begun a series of workshops to raise STEM awareness and education throughout India. Our fourth location was the Kendriya Vidyalaya Air Force School in Shillong, Meghalaya. The state of Meghalaya in India is known for its year-round rain, breathtaking waterfalls, and rolling mountains. However, it's also an extremely rural and secluded province, with it belong to one of the famous 'Seven Sisters' of Northeast India that are slightly separated from the main mass of the country.

To add to that, this Air Force School was the smallest of all in the country, including one we visited in Bareilly. Because it's an Air Force school, the majority of the children who attend these classes are children of Indian Air Force or Army members. We were also informed that at the time of our workshop a harsh flu was affecting a large portion of the junior high school, meaning many were not able to attend the session. Adding to that, they live in an extremely rural area where access to STEM is a huge issue, one we talked about with the principal, Dr. Shipra Basu.

When she joined the KV roughly nine years ago, Dr. Basu began to take extroardinary steps to brideg the STEM disparity in her new school. She established a computer, engineering, and science lab, comparable to well-funded institutes in the US. She also created a state-of-the-art VR lab, because, as she explained, "kids need to experience everything they can, and open their eyes to the possibilities of science."

At our workshop, we gave a lecture on the application of STEM and experimentation. We used interactive coding simulations to draw students in, and then invited them on stage for the final phase, a hands-on activity.

The diverse group of students were immediately eager to start working with the pieces we provided. By the end. the kids ha learned the basics of gears and end effectors, and even experimented with grabbing small payloads. We went on to donate roughly $400 worth of Lego and Arduino parts for the school, and received a commemoration trophy from Dr. Basu. Finally, we were published in a local newspaper and posted about in a YouTube channel based around scientific exploration.