Launching SEGA’s First Robotics Program
In January, a small group of SEGA students gathered around a table covered in LEGO pieces, wires, and laptops. They were testing something they had built themselves.
When the robot first rolled forward and stopped exactly where it was programmed to, the room went quiet. Then laughter and applause erupted.
For the first time at SEGA Girls’ School, robotics was not something they read about in a textbook. It was something they could build, program, test, and improve with their own hands.
That moment marked the beginning of SEGA’s inaugural Robo-Explorers Program, a hands-on STEM initiative launching June 28–July 8, 2026, designed to give SEGA students real-world experience in robotics, coding, and problem-solving.
And it began with two volunteers who saw possibility.
The Spark Behind the Program
Ming, a retired scientist, and his son Alan, a high school student and member of a FIRST Robotics team, first connected with SEGA through the STEM Adventures at SEGA Program. During their volunteer trip, they noticed something unmistakable: the girls’ curiosity for STEM was already there. What was missing was Robotics.
Because SEGA had long envisioned introducing robotics, Ming and Alan saw an opportunity to help bring that dream to life.
Since returning home, they have worked closely with Nurturing Minds to fundraise, deliver a LEGO Spike Prime robotics kit to SEGA, and design a curriculum rooted in the FIRST LEGO League 2025–2026 Challenge, “Unearthed”.
Building Foundations and Leaders
Given that this is an inaugural program, Ming and Alan are starting strategically.
Ten SEGA students are currently participating in pilot robotics sessions under the supervision of their Biology and Physics teachers, Mr. Maturo and Mr. Peter. During these sessions, they build and test LEGO-based robots, program sensors to respond to movement, and adjust their designs when things don’t work as expected. They revise their code, recalibrate their builds, and test again.
These early sessions are shaping the curriculum while introducing students to block-based coding, robotic principles, and collaborative problem-solving.
Just as important, they are learning that innovation rarely happens alone.
“In robotics, we are given challenges and have to think creatively to solve them,” Rauhia, a SEGA Form III student participating in the pilot sessions, shared. “Before joining, I didn’t feel confident working in a team, but now my collaboration skills have improved a lot.” That growth is part of the design.
In June, during the Robo-Explorers program, these same students will return as peer mentors, guiding their classmates, building leadership skills, and strengthening SEGA’s internal STEM community.
Why Robotics
Across the world, women remain underrepresented in engineering, computer science, and emerging technology fields. In many communities, girls are especially encouraged to consume technology, not build it.
Robotics changes that equation.
When girls learn to code, test, and iterate, they begin to understand not just how technology works, but how they can shape it. They move from users to creators, from observers to problem-solvers.
At SEGA, where girls are already excelling academically, robotics introduces a new dimension of possibility. It connects classroom theory to hands-on experimentation. It teaches precision, resilience, and collaboration under pressure.
Neema, a SEGA Form III student participating in the pilot sessions felt this immediately. “What I was learning theoretically in physics class, robotics helped me apply in reality,” she shared. “It makes me very motivated to be an engineer so I can help and make more things in my society. These skills made me know that I am capable of doing something that can change my society.”
Her words capture something deeper than skill-building. They signal a shift in how she sees herself, not just a student of science, but an engineer in the making.
Be Part of the Inaugural Team
Robo-Explorers will run June 28–July 8, 2026. As SEGA launches its first-ever robotics program, we are building a founding team of volunteers to help shape its future.
No prior robotics experience is required. Curiosity, flexibility, and a willingness to learn alongside students are more than enough. As Ming shared, “every volunteer can find their role.”
If you believe girls should have the opportunity to build and lead in the technologies shaping their world, this is your chance to help establish that foundation!
Volunteer registration closes April 14.