Addabbo partners with world champion robotics team from Forest Hills to promote free STEAM2Youth summer program for students

Getting young students interested in the sciences is vital if we want to stay competitive on a global scale and State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. is helping in that endeavor by partnering with a community-based robotics team called the Gearmasters from Forest Hills to promote their STEAM2Youth program.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. The Gearmasters are looking engage elementary school students who are interested in STEAM and provide them with a free two-week STEAM program on Zoom this August with fun, hands-on activities with the goal of promoting gender and income equality in STEAM fields among the youth.

This free two-week summer course is open to elementary school students (grades 3-5) across Queens and will be held twice a week via Zoom, so students can participate right from the comfort of their own homes. Materials for the students will be provided by the Gearmasters and can be picked up at Senator Addabbo’s Middle Village Office, located at 66-85 73rd Place in Middle Village, or common household items will be used.

There are only 20 spots available and students are taken on a first-come first-served basis. As an active Parent Participation program, an adult is required to accompany the child for each meeting.

The Gearmasters know their way around STEAM education as they have advanced to the FIRST® Robotics World Championships four years in a row (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022), and are the three-time NYC reigning champions.

“As we continue to live in a more and more technologically advanced world, it is imperative that our youth are engaged in the sciences. And if we want to be the leading nation when it comes to tech, we need the next generation to find a love for the STEAM subjects,” Addabbo said. “The Gearmasters are donating their time to provide 20 of our local students the chance to learn about these STEAM subjects from true World Champions. I am proud to partner with the Gearmasters to promote this fantastic program and to be a pick-up location for the program’s materials. Parents and guardians need to register their children fast to ensure they secure one of the 20 spots.”

For more information on this program, email the Gearmasters at ftc8365@foresthillslego.com or call them at 917-434-5717. To quickly register for the program, scan the QR code in the accompanying flyer, or visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsGhf6AFtrySEuv_5Ol3L6VJQmig6V3bh9G4sv1L4_qkQi9Q/viewform.