The Junior Jellies program, alive for many years, helps bring kids together to learn about the fundamentals of robotics and coding. The program, curated for kids in fourth and fifth grade, helps raise money for our high school robotics team. When in the class, kids are presented with a problem and are required to use their resources and problem-solving skills to resolve the issue presented. Not only are they required to solve the problem they are faced with, but they learn about STEM-related concepts as well. Most kids come into the program with no prior experience and are excited to learn new things. The Junior Jellies program is completely run by the Blind Brook High School Robotics Club. From organizing the lessons and challenges to helping the kids and making sure they enjoy themselves, these high school kids have it covered. On Tuesday afternoons the kids gather in the Fab Lab ready to learn!
Not only will these kids learn about STEM now, but they will hopefully be inspired to join our own robotic club in their later years. This early introduction to STEM ideas can help create a new future for our high school robotics team. Currently, our high school robotics team has made it to the regional layer in their competition, and also worlds once. The Junior Jellies are the future! These weekly lessons feel like an escape and an exciting challenge for the kids that attend. The idea of creating a program to fundraise for our team is brilliant and can change the future for Blind Brook High School clubs forever.
During my fourth grade year at elementary school, I joined the Junior Jellies program myself. Now, during my freshman year, I took the robotics class that is offered! I remember the excitement of attending Junior Jellies, being able to look up to the high schoolers that were teaching my lessons, and guiding me through the challenges I faced. It is easy for me to say that I was inspired by the knowledge and head start it gave me on my problem-solving skills – enough to pursue it in high school. This is the hope for the future generation as well. During an interview with current high school senior Alex Thompson, he explained how the program functions. This interview took place right before a Junior Jellies meeting, and you could sense the great energy in the room. The preparation seemed intentional and as though thought and care was put into it. The Junior Jellies kids are the future, and this program is just the beginning of it.