“Reading & Robotics” Programme launched in Lethem

Apr 06, 2019 News

The children didn’t waste time in getting down to business following the launch of the programme

More than 70 community members including local leaders, parents, students and teachers turned out at the Lethem Library for the launch of Lethem’s Reading & Robotics’ programme.
The programme was launched by keynote speaker, Minister of Public Affairs, Dawn Hastings-Williams while Library sponsor ExxonMobil, was represented by Ms Suzanne De’Abreu. Mayor John Macedo, Deputy Regional Executive Officer, were also present. Town Clerk Ms Keisha Williams-Vincent served as MC for the event.
STEMGuyana Trainers Ms. Aisha Peters and Mr. Michael Sampson arrived a day early to train library staff and school teachers in club management, culture, building and programming robots and learning to code using the Scratch application. Youth between the ages of 8 and 14 will now be able to sign up for club membership at the local library. Club members will be preparing to participate in Guyana’s first national robotics competition, which kicks off next month.
Each Saturday, club members will complete 1 of 10 lesson plans which are integrated with the Ministry of Education’s Science curriculum. The lesson plans encourage students to learn concepts like simple machines—levers and pulleys and to use robotics and Scratch coding to design and create their own versions of these machines.

“The idea is to help the club members to use an integrated approach to learning by using technology to reinforce their knowledge of Science concepts, which they learn in school, while strengthening technical skills and soft skills like collaboration, communication and problem solving”, said STEMGuyana Trainer Michael Sampson.

Youth between the ages of 8 and 14 will now be able to sign up for club membership at the local library in Lethem

Event sponsors were Ministry of the Presidency, Department Of Youth, Ministry of Education and ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil has donated laptop and tablet computers as well as robots to the Lethem Library, while robotics club registration for all club members and a projector were donated by members of the Guyana Diaspora.
ExxonMobil Guyana has sponsored eight libraries across Guyana.
According to Senior Director, Public and Government Affairs, Deedra Moe, the company “is pleased to support STEM education, which we hope will result in the social and economic advancement of young people.”
Asked for a comment on the importance of the ‘Reading & Robotics’ programme in Lethem, Minister Hastings-Williams stated that, ‘I am very excited to have such a STEM education program available to the children of Lethem. It is important that children in Interior communities are able to access the same programmes and training that will help them to prepare for the new technology future that awaits them. I look forward to working with STEMGuyana to expand this programme throughout all of our Interior communities’
The ‘Reading & Robotics’ programme will meet every Saturday from 09:00hrs at the Lethem Library. Spaces are limited, so parents are encouraged to sign up their children as soon as they can. The First club meeting is scheduled for today.

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