• Middle School/Grades 6-8
  • High School/Grades 9-12

Global Ties KC’s Global Robotics Exchange provides personal exploration, global learning, and STEM collaboration opportunities for young people in Libya, Morocco, and the U.S. Virtual exchange participants have the unique opportunity to join the existing FIRST Robotics Competition in global teams, where they benefit from in-depth instruction to help them further their team projects. FIRST Robotics Competition is an exciting extracurricular STEM competition that teams engineering professionals and high-school students to solve real-world engineering problems in fun, rewarding, and inspiring ways. In preparation for the competition, participants meet with teams across the globe through virtual exchange to share best practices and lessons learned through their own robotics build seasons, while building relationships with their global peers.

Activities

Teams from across the three participating countries connect over a month of exchange activities, working together and sharing lessons learned related to their shared competition. Participants learn about how career readiness and passions intersect, providing clarity on how their own abilities can be applied to their FIRST teams and future careers in STEM. Technical sessions equip participants with key skills in robotics, and keynote speakers inspire and challenge participants. The curriculum has activities that will take place online in real-time and opportunities for asynchronous connection, with dedicated support to continuing connections beyond the formal exchange. 

Program Details

Number of Participants

540

U.S. States and Territories Reached
  • Kansas
  • Missouri 
Countries and Territories Reached
  • Libya
  • Morocco 
Length of Exchange

Four weeks (four hours/week)

Global Robotics Exchange  is implemented by Global Ties KC and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.