Outreach at Marist
Marist School expresses outreach in its robotics and engineering courses by collaborating with Cristo Rey to take in student interns during the school year, hosting the Marist-Atlanta FTC League, and connecting with Reach for Excellence.
OUTREACH: More Than a Partnership—A Family
Our Impact:
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Teaching & Mentorship: 6340 members volunteer as teaching assistants, creating hands-on STEM lessons
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STEM Curriculum: 18 weeks (2,500 hours) in Java, Python, and robotics completed by students
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Science Week: A 7th-grade program on Cell Biology takes place, expanding into 8th grade next year
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REACH STEM Fair: Hands-on experiments that range from building balloon cars to exploring slime
Expanding STEM Access:
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6 after-school programs & 20 specialized classes
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Dresden Elementary (Title 1 School):
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100% of students on free/reduced lunch, 78% ESL learners.
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Reached 650+ students with coding and STEM resources.
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STEM FIRST Initiative: Enhancing curriculum across 18 schools.
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St. Joseph’s STEM Night: Featuring Arduino LED displays & LEGO League robots.
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15+ STEM Nights across Atlanta, engaging thousands.
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FIRST Lego League & Robotics Leadership: - may be put on hold 26-27 year
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Mentoring 1 Discover, 1 Explore, & 3 Challenge teams.
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Montgomery Elementary: All 11 students from the Mechanical Mustangs continue in robotics.
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St. Jude’s FLL teams: Alumni-led mentorship; both teams placed in the TOP 10 out of 40.
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Hosted Georgia’s first FLL event of the season to increase accessibility.
FIRST Tech Challenge & Events:
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Atlanta-Marist League: Largest FTC league in the Southeast (32 teams).
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Georgia State Kickoff: Hosts 600+ students, 50+ teams, and hands-on workshops.
Engaging Our Community:
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School Open House: Interactive robotics demos for thousands of visitors.
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Bringing STEM to life for the next generation of innovators.
REACH for Excellence
Reach for Excellence provides low-income adolescents with various educational, cultural, and community-based activities to help them get ready for the demands of future college- and high school-prep courses. Students from throughout the metro Atlanta area attend Reach For Excellence, which is housed at Marist. Students who dedicate three years of their middle school education to the program have opportunities that they might not have otherwise had. It all comes down to loving and assisting children who are at risk of not reaching their full potential.
Each summer, many of our FTC and FRC members volunteer at Reach For Excellence, taking part in work study for a month or volunteering for as many days/weeks as they would like being Teacher's Assistants (TAs) in the Computer Science Courses in the mornings and Robotics Course in the afternoon.
“I spent three years in the Reach For Excellence program and I couldn't be more grateful for the experience. It was a huge factor in exposing me to Marist and getting accepted. Knowing that I'm making a difference in my community warms my heart, especially since I was in those same classrooms just three years ago. Serving others has been incredibly rewarding for me. I learned about Technology and STEM through Reach For Excellence. During my time in Reach's Robotics Lab, I volunteered by assisting students with coding, helping them build robots, and growing a strong connection with each of them. While the opportunity to teach coding and robotics is vital, the most important aspect for me was building relationships with the students and having fun with them over the summer. After all, it's a summer program, so fun is a priority!”
- Charlotte Hood
Marist Class of 2025
Former Student with Reach for Excellence
It's worth mentioning that Reach For Excellence is not only helping students who come from lower-income backgrounds but also those who face other disadvantages. As volunteers, this service-orientated lifestyle we experience emphasizes the importance of showing love and compassion towards our neighbors.
“Through Reach For Excellence, I can positively impact the lives of children who look like me and it truly was such a rewarding experience for me.”
- Charlotte Hood
For more information visit Reach's website here → Reach for Excellence
Or contact them at learn@reachforexcellence.org or +1-770-936-6481
