In Rotary year 2024-25, the Raytown Rotary Club partnered with a local Math & Science club called LEARN and received a Grant for $2500 to purchase kit cars to be modified for young kids with movement limitations.
LEARN is a Science & Math club and LEARN'S Geeks for Kids program gets kids with movement limitations moving! Since 2004, LEARN has been providing kids in the Greater Kansas City area with rich science & math experiences through the use of robotics, engineering and programming projects and laboratory experiences. According to research at Oregon State University's College of Public Health & Human Services, Kid's interactions with electric cars help advance developmental, physical, social, language and cognitive skills. To accomplish this, base electric cars are purchased and modified. Our Grant allowed the purchase of 10 such cars. Geeks for Kids volunteer teachers/mentors - all of whom are professional engineers, programmers and other technical types - work with student participating in the Geeks program to design and implement modifications to these cars to make them meet the needs of recipients with movement limitations. Geek's volunteers and students along with volunteers from the community help build the cars. Throughout the week, other volunteers check out the quality of the modified cars and make any required changes. These completed cars are presented to the young kids in a major event on June 1st of the year.
