Building apps and writing code to guide robots may sound like great resume skills for today’s job seeker. At Oakdale Public Schools, students are already mastering these skills and more through a Robotics program by techJoYnT Academy.
Students range from grades Pre-K through the 8th grade and are attending an 8-week Robotics program that takes place afterschool. “Kids learn how to work in teams and how to manage a project from start to finish,” said Ray Shaik, techJoYnT‘s founder. “The skills they learn today will prove valuable throughout their lives. And, because they are learning science in a hands-on way, they are having fun.”
The robotics program is filling a critical need in Oklahoma’s shortage of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education. According to the national Afterschool Alliance, participants in STEM programs show increased school attendance, imporoves grades, as well as higher rates of high school graduation and college attendance.
“Oklahoma’s current and future economy depends on a strong STEM-skill workforce,” said Cedric Curren Moore, Direcor of STEM Initiatives at the Oklahoma Afterschool Network. “Our energy, aerospace, health and agriculture sectors are only a few of the industries driving our economic growth and competitiveness.”
techJoYnT Academy will be implementing the Oklahoma Afterschool Quality Standards (OAQS) to their 8-week Robotics program at Oakdale Public Schools. The standards were developed through a statewide consortium of leaders in the field of youth development. In addition to reassuring parents and investors of the quality of after-school programs, the standards also provide guidance for programs to assess their strengths and identify opportunities for improvement.
“As someone who works in the technology field every day, I know how critical it is that students get exposure and training in this area as early as possible in order to be competitive in the global workforce. Technology is an integral part of our everyday lives, and for younger generation, it will be even more so. There is quite a buzz in the Oakdale community about the new afterschool techJoYnT program.” Sean Adler, Director of Operation at DATAWARD, an Oklahoma City bases business providing cloud-based solutions for local businesses.
Anyone interested in starting an after school program at their local school (for robotics or game design) is encouraged to contact Ramier (Ray) Shaik, to schedule a time to visit during the Oakdale after school session. Please email all inquiries to ray(at)techjoynt(dot)com
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About techJoYnT Academy
techJoYnT delivers curriculum to reinforce traditional science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. The organization offers families, students, and mentors the opportunity to learn engineering and entrepreneurship concepts through hands-on robotics and game design projects. Programs are offered at local libraries, community centers, public and private schools and at techJoYnT Academy’s location.
About the Oklahoma Afterschool Network (OKAN)
Founded in 2003, OKAN works to ensure that all children and youth in Oklahoma have access to safe, enriching learning opportunities during their out-of-school time. More information can be found at http://www.okafterschool.org