Students at Tamuning Elementary School received hands-on robotics instruction this week through a STEAM outreach led by SIFA Learning Academy Charter School.
According to a Feb. 13 news release, the program was conducted in partnership with SIFA FIRST LEGO League Pacific and included mentoring by members of the SIFA Manta Rays Robotics Team. The outreach aimed to expand equitable access to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education while introducing younger students to competitive robotics pathways.
SIFA students guided participants through the fundamentals of the FIRST LEGO League Challenge, including mission overviews, strategy development, demonstrations and hands-on coding exercises designed to strengthen computational thinking skills.
Elementary students also received an introduction to robotics programming using VEX Code, providing exposure to more advanced engineering concepts and helping them visualize progression from beginner to higher-level robotics applications.
“This outreach exemplifies SIFA’s commitment to building a sustainable STEAM pipeline,” said Ron Ravela, SIFA director for planning, compliance and research, in the release. “We believe access to robotics and coding should not be limited by grade level or school boundaries.”
Organizers said the initiative supports SIFA’s role as a community hub for STEAM education and strengthens Guam’s robotics ecosystem through early exposure and peer mentorship.
Upcoming robotics events open to the community include the March 7 FIRST LEGO League Unearthed Festival and the March 14 Regional Championship, both scheduled at Tumon Sands Plaza.
SIFA Learning Academy is a tuition-free public middle school serving grades 6–8 with a focus on project-based STEAM education, according to the release.