Contributed by:
Scott Compeau, Ph.D., P.Eng, OCT
Director, Innovation and Education Programs, BGC South East
In December 2024 the Boys and Girls Club opened a 9,000 square foot cutting edge space for youth to explore STEM, robotics, and innovation. The STEM & Robotics Centre includes a makerspace, machine shop, robotics competitive playing field and fabrication lab. But more than the equipment, the space is somewhere that young people can connect with one another while gaining the technical and professional skills needed for success in the ever-changing world.
“Our programs are not just about building robots. They are about building futures,” said Bruna Guarino Moraes, the Associate Director of STEM & Strategic Initiatives at BGC South East. “We believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to explore their potential, and through our STEM and Robotics Centre, we are creating pathways for our youth to succeed in fields they may not have previously considered.”
The STEM & Robotics Centre is accessible and integrated with a host of other Club spaces at the facility, including aquatics, fitness centre, sports courts, and much more.
To launch new STEM programs, the Club focused on building a dedicated and experienced STEM team and strengthening partnerships within the community.
“Our talented team and volunteers bring expertise in engineering, education, innovation, and entrepreneurship,” said Scott Compeau, Director of Education & Innovation at BGC South East. “We are fortunate to have young professionals and industry experts who choose to invest their time at the Club, driven to make a difference and create exciting, hands-on learning experiences for local youth.”
The centre was immediately put into use through a variety of STEM, robotics, makerspace, and entrepreneurship clubs. These programs for children and youth ages 6-18 provide a fun and engaging way to dive into hands-on experiments and collaborative activities.
The Club will hold an Open House on Thursday, December 12 from 6-8 pm at the STEM & Robotics Centre (1300 Bath Road - BGC West End Community Site), where community members can tour the Centre, meet the staff, enjoy live robotics demos, and learn about programming.
“We seek to build a strong partnership pipeline with local industries and businesses. We want to enhance the innovation ecosystem in Kingston and develop a skilled next generation of leaders,” says Compeau. “We encourage interested community members to reach out to learn about the different ways to support our new STEM & Robotics initiatives.”
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