Kalai Sankar has spent the past ten years teaching students how to build the best robots possible. But it’s not just about building robots, she explains; it’s about building people who will change the world. Kalai has witnessed this process first-hand. When she first became a robotics coach, her goal was simply to support her two daughters, who as young girls had few options beyond dolls to feed their minds and imagination. As one of the few women of color to embrace robotics coaching, however, Kalai had to overcome an array of assumptions and biases. Determined to reach students from underserved communities, she began holding weeklong robotics camps for Title I students, proving that robotics education can help lift children up and out of poverty. Kalai saw, too, how students who struggle in traditional educational settings can often find a greater sense of purpose and direction when they learn to build robots as part of a team. As Kalai notes: Building robots is ultimately about building kids better. Kalai Sankar, or “Coach K” as she is known among her students, is the founder of Shiva Robotics Academy, a robotics education institution geared to students in grades K-12. As a Carnegie Mellon-certified robotics instructor and professional LEGO educator, she has introduced after-school robotics programs in more than 25 Title I schools in Jacksonville, Florida. Kalai is the recipient of Florida’s Best Robotics Coach award, Jacksonville Business Journal’s Innovator in Education Award, and the 40 Under 40 Award. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at [ Ссылка ]

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