Sparking a Brighter Future for Think Together Students with Edison International
Think Together is excited to continue its partnership with Edison International, thanks to a renewed investment supporting STEM Coding and Robotics programs. With this funding, 900 middle school students in Jurupa Valley, Perris, and Rialto will gain access to technology and interactive STEM opportunities that spark curiosity and build future-ready skills.
These STEM programs will run on three 10-week rotations, totaling 30 weeks. In each rotation, students were introduced to different topics. Starting with an introduction to visual programming, intermediate visual programming and ending with robotics, where students can build and program robots to conduct various experiments. Each rotation builds on the previous one and challenges students to apply what they learned the week before, increasing in difficulty.
Rialto Middle School students previously engaged in a Sphero robotics activity as part of their STEM curriculum, where programming and computer science skills were put into practice to activate BOLT robots, a STEM robot that empowers students to explore their creativity, coding skills, and inventiveness. In a soccer-style competition, students were challenged to navigate their robots across the mat in a straight line or without veering off course.
For many participating in the activity, it was their first time learning about programming and robotics. While challenging, students enjoyed the complexity of the activity as it actively engaged their mind.
Eighth grader Johnathan especially enjoyed his time during the activity. Although he faced some obstacles, he found joy in the experience as his confidence grew.
“This has been a really fun activity,” Johnathan said. “I love everything that has to do with electronics, so even though I made some mistakes, I really liked being able to learn how to fix them and get better.”
As students delved deeper into the program, Think Together program leader Tanisha Finnie, who led the activity, saw the significant impact the experience had on them.
“Sphero allows them to have fun while they learn how to code and how to play competitive soccer with the BOLT robots,” Finnie said. “Not every student has access to technology like an Apple iPad and the robots, so it’s definitely a great experience for them.”
Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, has a 20-year-history with Think Together with generous grants of over $700,000 geared toward STEM programming for students in the Inland Empire. Beyond financial contributions, they have participated as guest judges for the California Invention Convention, a statewide competition with more than 20,000 participants and 400 chosen school representatives who earn recognition for their innovative household inventions.
In addition, Edison International has donated $8.5 million in educational grants in 2023. Edison International believes that education has the power to change lives, and places major emphasis on programs of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in middle school, high school, and college levels, including tutoring, scholarships, and college-access programs.
Together, Think Together and Edison International are bringing innovation to students and helping them build the skills they need for a future full of opportunities.
Discover how partners like Edison are making an impact below!
