Free coding and robotics classes for kids
Children build and program Lego robots during a free HACK Robotics Academy workshop Oct. 3. The hands-on class teaches ages 5-17 to code sensors and animate their projects. Photo courtesy of Lisa Lista
HACK Robotics Academy is holding free coding and robotics workshops for ages 5-17 at libraries in Bertram and Burnet in November.
HACK stands for High Academic Centered Kids. The academy, located at 516 Buchanan Drive in Burnet, is an after-school program designed to develop problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration skills through coding and robotics.
“All students strive to achieve. We just have to know how to embrace their learning,” HACK founder Lisa Lista told DailyTrib.com.
Parents can register their children for the free workshops through the Bertram Library and Herman Brown Free Library websites. Workshops are also scheduled for Girl Scout troops in Bertram and Burnet to earn STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) badges.
The free events include:
- Oct. 26, 10-11:30 a.m.—Girl Scout Burnet Troop Daisies/Brownies at HACK Robotics Academy
- Nov. 4, 2-3:45 p.m.—Girl Scout Burnet Troop Juniors/Cadets at HACK Robotics Academy
- Nov. 7—11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. for homeschool students in grades 4-12 and 4-5:30 p.m. for public school students in grades 4-12 at the Herman Brown Free Library, 100 E. Washington St. in Burnet
- Nov. 9, noon to 2 p.m.—Girl Scout Bertram Troop at HACK Robotics Academy
- Nov. 1—10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for homeschool students in grades K-3 at the Bertram Library, 170 N. Gabriel St., and 4-5:30 p.m. for public school students in grades K-3 at the Burnet library
Academy staff will guide students through coding challenges, programming sensors, and building robots. At the end of each workshop, the kids will present their completed projects to their family members.
“It’s amazing to see how excited the kids get when they successfully code something or build their robot,” Lista said. “That moment of success gives them the confidence to tackle other challenges, both in and out of the classroom.”
Lista is also forming a competition team for students in grades 4-7 for the First Lego League Challenge, an international youth engineering competition that will be held in Austin in January 2025.
“I’m really excited to see how the students work together and apply what they’ve learned in a competitive setting,” she said.
Her long-term goal is to offer a full-day STEM program that integrates coding and robotics with other subjects.
“We’re teaching students valuable skills they can use in school and life. I want them to walk away from these classes not only knowing how to code but also how to think critically and work together,” she said.
For more information on HACK Robotics Academy, go to hackroboticsacademy.com or call 737-788-3751.