Herndon Middle to Gain After-School Robotics Club Via Google Grant, FIRST Robotics

Herndon Middle School students got their first taste of after-school robotics activities this week. U.S. Congressman Gerry Connolly, Fairfax County School Board Member Elaine Tholen, and Google employees visited the school to announce funding to create extracurricular robotics clubs at many middle schools across Virginia.
 

More than 30 Herndon students worked alongside Google engineers to build robots from kits at the event, where Google announced a $520,000 grant for middle school robotics clubs. 

A Herndon seventh grader named Evelyn, who participated in the robot building project, told WTOP she hopes to work in the AI/robotics field in the future. “I really like designing models and I really like making stuff,” she said.

Herndon is one of the schools that will receive funding to create an after-school robotics group via the Google grant to the non-profit group For InSpiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) and the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF).

“I am delighted that Herndon Middle School will soon host an after-school robotics club and am grateful to Google and FIRST Robotics for their help in making this happen,” FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid said. 

 

“When we increase access to after-school STEM activities like this program, we’re preparing students to lead us into futures yet to be imagined and careers that don’t yet exist," Reid said. "Our young people today will create the technologies of tomorrow. We appreciate Google and FIRST Robotics for helping our students expand their horizons during after-school hours – it makes a difference!”

Read WTOP Radio’s coverage of the event.