Don-Bur Support Discovery Academy STEM Club

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Don-Bur has donated over £1,000 worth of technologically advanced Lego kits to the children in the STEM Club at the local Discovery Academy in Stoke-on-Trent.  The gesture marks the start of an important and long term relationship with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths club to encourage and demonstrate to the next generations that manufacturing is an exciting and rewarding career choice.

Each Lego kit comprises a computer “brain” which interacts with a wide variety of sensors and motors.  These logic boxes are then assembled with Lego parts to form a fascinating array of robots; each capable of assessing, moving, lifting and even working together.  To complement the Lego kits, Don-Bur are also donating two iPad tablets which, via an app and wireless communication, can program the ‘bots’ to accomplish, assist with or overcome set challenges.

Darren Owen, Employer engagement and transition manager at the Discovery Academy said:  ‘These effective and engaging teaching resources give our students the tools to learn and think critically and creatively.  This donation will help us plan our STEM activities more effectively and the partnership will allow our students to gain an insight into the world of engineering.’

The STEM club has historically included years 9, 10 and 11 and now also includes years 7 and 8 and is part of the “Resilience” Curriculum.

The mental processes involved with designing, assembling and working with logic have many synergies with the tasks that modern manufacturers undertake every day.  Don-Bur is keen to continue working with the Discovery Academy; contributing toward fun exercises which mimic real-world projects.

Lisa Blake, Human Resources Manager at Don-Bur comments “It’s exciting to think that we are contributing toward new and imaginative ways to develop our children, particularly when we can encourage interest in areas we feel passionate about like engineering and manufacturing”.