Students at The Berkeley Institute showcased robots they created as part of a pilot after-school club brought about through a community collaboration.

The Young Coders and Engineers Club, which focuses on science, technology engineering and mathematics learning, was created by Troy King, the school’s head of mathematics, who received an Outstanding Teacher Award from the Bermuda Education Network last year.

The club, which was started last October and attracted 13 participants, was hosted at Connectech premises, and BEN provided $15,000 of funding for the 25-week programme, which included transport, refreshments, teacher stipends and the Connectech fee.

Mr King also received mentorship and project management support from BEN while developing the project.

The S2 students learnt the essentials of coding and building a basic robot before moving on to a more advanced robot that can be entered into international competitions. Some of the participants from this year’s programme will be invited to join the Connectech team competing at the First Global Robotics competition in Singapore in October.

Bryce Williams, BEN project manager, said: “BEN is proud to have supported this teacher-led project to offer students additional opportunities. Mr King’s vision to provide a programme that teaches the real-life applications of math through coding has been enthusiastically received by the Berkeley students and we are grateful to Connectech for providing their curriculum, robotics equipment and premises."

Mr King added: "It is truly rewarding to see our students gain meaningful exposure to coding and robotics. Developing the Young Coders and Engineers Club and partnering with BEN and Connectech was also rewarding for me from a professional development point of view.

“I had a chance to tackle new content and to coach students in essential career skills, and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them enhance their collaboration and critical thinking. I’m excited about the future opportunities this experience may open up for them and for future participants in the club.”

Becky Ausenda, BEN’s founder, and Coral Wells, the founder of Connectech, confirmed the club would resume in October under Mr King’s direction.

They are seeking potential sponsors for this club and also for selected Berkeley Institute students to attend the First Global contest.

For more information, visit www.bermudaeducationnetwork.com and www.connectech.bm.