Robotics4U impresses Legoland officials

By Ginny Privitar
Chester resident Monali Verma founded Robotics4U to teach robotics to local kids. Her students have done handsomely at robotics competitions, and she and her students were invited by the Goshen School District for STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics) night in January. The Robotics4U table was next to that of Legoland's. Legoland New York's Development & Operations Director Phil Royle and Community Relations, Sales & Marketing Coordinator Hayley Coriaty and other team members observed Verma's group's robotics in action and they were pretty impressed. Verma uses Lego robotic kits, including the Mindstorm robot kit.
Royle mentioned that Legoland has a robotics section. In February, Royle, Coriaty and another representative met with Verma at the Legoland Welcome Center in Goshen. Verma related the story of Robotics4U to them and explained what she was doing in her classes.
On May 1, the representatives from Legoland observed one of Verma's classes, held at the Orange County Sports Club in the village of Florida.
Royle was impressed with Verma's teaching style and the way she imparts information. He told her he and his team would see how they might be able to work with Robotics4U as part of their aim to promote local community businesses. When the new Legoland is up and running they will be selling the Mindstorm kit and others and providing a 45-minute workshop. Students who want further instruction can go to Verma's Robotics4U classes.
Verma told them later that her other classes were disappointed they didn't get to meet the Legoland team on May 1. Royle laughed and said he didn't want to disappoint the other kids, or have them miss out, so now he and his team will come down for another meeting with all 40 of Verma's students, possibly at the end of June. It will be a meet-and-greet event at a larger venue for the Legoland team and Verma's students will give presentations.
“We are excited to see the good work that Monali Verma and her team are doing right here in the Hudson Valley with the LEGO Education programs. Young students today need to have access to educational classes such as these to help prepare them for the ever changing technological world,” Royle said Development & Operations Director for LEGOLAND New York Resort
For more information:
Monali Verma
Robotics4U at Orange County Sports Club
1743 Route 17A
Florida, NY
Classes Mon.-Sat.; call for times: 845-554-3106
robotics4ucenter@gmail.com
Present for the meeting with Legoland were Robotics4U founder & owner Monali Verma and Legoland representatives Jamie Winsper, Community Relations; Ty Vanderstappen, Attractions; Phil Royle, Director of Operations & Development; Hayley Coriaty, Community Relations; and Jessica Kearns, Robotics4U Instructor
Photo by Tanya Sinha