Promoting curiosity for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in younger generations is important for the future. Ford Schools in Mexico is making it happen, and now they are champions of the First Lego League National Event.
Ford Schools, a nonprofit civic association established to contribute to social and academic development in Mexico, was part of the STEM educational program offered by Fundacion Robotix with investment and support from the Ford Civic Committee and its distributors. First Lego League is the world’s most important educational program of Robotics and STEM, promoted in Mexico by Fundacion Robotix, which promotes the implementation of educational methodologies.
The 2022-’23 season edition last took place in Mexico City, where more than 700 students gathered, divided into 97 teams from 23 states of the Mexican Republic. This year, the theme was “Superpowered,” and the students were challenged to explore energy-related topics; aligned with the sustainable development goal of affordable and non-polluting energy.
The Legobots Edsel 166 team, from Ford School No. 166 in Veracruz, Mexico, won the Solution to the Challenge Award for its mock-up proposal showing a wastewater treatment plant that uses wind to generate energy to power the plant’s magnetic turbines to clean up the Cazones River, which has been polluted by wastewater from the population and industries of Poza Rica.
Ford School No. 71 from the State of Mexico, with its Ford Builders team, won the Model Award for a cable car project that aims to operate with wind and kinetic energy to solve the problems of transport access to their communities. The team adapted its cable car with auditory and visual stimuli for people with disabilities, as well as an elevator for people with reduced mobility.
Finally, the second recognition Model Award went to the Robotic Club Ford 26 belonging to Yucatan’s Ford School No. 26, which presented a new way of generating energy that they called Cenomotriz; it uses underground currents in cenotes, as well as parks that produce potential and kinetic energy through their games to illuminate their communities and surroundings.
Through its support of programs like these, the Ford Civic Committee and its dealers are committed to creating a better world for Mexico’s children.
