• August 2025

STEM Literacy Initiative in South America

In August, Open Minds Open Doors expanded its global reach with an exciting new chapter in São Paulo, Brazil. Partnering with the Biblioteca de São Paulo (São Paulo Public Library), we launched a STEM Literacy Initiative aimed at bridging the gap between technological education and underserved youth communities in the city.

The program focused on empowering students with foundational engineering and coding skills, while integrating Portuguese-language STEM literacy to ensure comprehension and inclusivity. We were able to work closely with local educators, community volunteers, and Brazilian university students studying engineering, who served as mentors.

Highlights of the Month:

  • Interactive Coding Bootcamp: Over 40 students, aged 10–15, participated in a week-long crash course on block-based programming and basic Python concepts.
     

  • Hands-On Engineering Challenge: Students built small mechanical devices using recycled materials, encouraging both sustainability and creativity.
     

  • Bilingual STEM Workshops: All lessons were delivered in Portuguese and English, helping students develop bilingual STEM vocabulary.
     

  • Mentorship Program Launch: Local university students committed to mentoring small groups of participants for the next 6 months, ensuring long-term skill retention.
     

Impact by the Numbers:

  • 📚 47 students directly impacted in August.
     

  • ⏳ 16 hours of direct instruction and mentorship.
     

  • 🖥 85% of participants had never coded before this month.
     

  • 🌱 Over 70% of projects used entirely recycled materials.
     

Community Reflection:
The most touching moment came when one 12-year-old participant, Isabela, shared that she had never seen a “real robot” before and now wanted to become an engineer. Stories like hers remind us why global outreach is critical — exposure changes possibilities.

 

Sustainable Energy & Robotics Workshop in San Diego, California

September 2025

September took us to San Diego, California, where our team collaborated with San Diego Unified School District to deliver a Sustainable Energy & Robotics Workshop for middle and high school students. The initiative aligned with California’s emphasis on renewable energy education, while integrating robotics to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences.

The goal was to inspire students to think critically about clean energy solutions while equipping them with technical skills to design energy-efficient systems using robotics kits. We focused heavily on problem-based learning, challenging participants to design robots that could simulate small-scale renewable energy tasks — like solar panel positioning or wind turbine monitoring.

Key Workshop Components:

  1. Renewable Energy Crash Course: Students learned the basics of solar, wind, and hydroelectric power.
     

  2. Robotics for Sustainability: Using LEGO Spike Prime and Arduino-based kits, teams built robots that optimized renewable energy collection.
     

  3. Energy Efficiency Simulation: Students programmed robots to respond to real-time environmental data, such as sunlight direction or wind speed.
     

  4. Community Showcase: Families and school staff were invited to see student projects in action during an open exhibition.
     

Workshop Outcomes:

  • 🔋 30 robots built to model renewable energy solutions.
     

  • 🌍 Students from 6 different schools participated, ensuring a diverse group of learners.
     

  • 📈 92% of participants reported increased interest in engineering or environmental science.
     

  • 🏆 Top project: a solar-tracking robot that rotated its solar panel based on light sensor input, increasing simulated efficiency by 35%.
     

Long-Term Plans:
The San Diego workshop was just the first step. In partnership with school district officials, we will be rolling out a semester-long after-school program in early 2026 to deepen students’ understanding of renewable energy engineering.