STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics — has become a buzzword in education over the past few years. These programs are essential for helping students “get an edge” in their education and future careers. Yet, STEAM programs aren’t part of the required state curriculum, and outside of school, they can be expensive or hard to access. Despite the growing demand for STEAM skills in today’s workforce, many students simply don’t have the same opportunities to explore them. That’s what we mean when we talk about the opportunity gap—the difference between the resources and experiences available to some students and not others.
At United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County (UWABC), we use our superpower—partnership—to bridge that gap. We know there are countless professionals in our community working in science, technology, and engineering. So we thought, why not connect them directly with young people eager to learn?
That’s exactly what we did. Earlier this October, our team brought together Big Brothers Big Sisters of Asheville and Buncombe County and longtime UWABC partner Eaton Corporation, an international leader in electrical engineering.
We took over one of Eaton’s conference spaces, transforming it into a hands-on robot-building workshop. Eaton volunteers guided students through building all kinds of creations—from simple wooden robots to complex, remote-controlled machines. The excitement in the room was electric. Once the robots were complete, we even held a few friendly races.
But the best part wasn’t the pizza or the robots the kids got to take home. The real magic happened afterward—when students and volunteers kept talking, laughing, and connecting. Some students asked about college and career paths, others about how to build even more advanced robots.
In those moments, the true impact of the night was clear: students were surrounded by caring adults who made them feel seen, supported, and inspired.
You don’t have to wait for the next robot build to make a difference. There are countless ways to mentor, volunteer, and show up for students in our community. When we connect, we all grow stronger.
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