Building Digital Futures: LET'S GO Continues Expanding FIRST LEGO League Challenge Across Baltimore City Recreation Centers

For the past few years, LET'S GO has partnered with Baltimore City Recreation and Parks to create equitable access to career-connected STEM learning for students across our city. Now in its second year, the Baltimore City Digital Equity Grant through the Baltimore City Information Technology office continues to enable us to expand our programming, supporting five FIRST LEGO League Challenge robotics teams at community recreation centers throughout Baltimore.

Continuing the Momentum 

Our FIRST LEGO League Challenge teams are meeting at: 

• Callow Hill Recreation Center 

• Virginia S. Baker Recreation Center 

• Cecil Kirk Recreation Center 

• Mount Royal Recreation Center 

• Locust Point Recreation Center 

  
  

By bringing robotics programming directly into neighborhood recreation centers for a second year, we're building on last season's success and ensuring that students across Baltimore—regardless of their zip code—have continued access to high-quality, career-connected STEM education right in their own communities. 

More Than Robots: Building Digital Literacy for Tomorrow's Workforce

While students are building and programming robots, they're developing critical digital literacy skills that are essential for success in today's technology-driven world. Through FIRST LEGO League Challenge, students in upper elementary and middle school gain hands-on experience with: 

• Coding and programming using block-based software to bring their robots to life 

• Digital research and collaboration as they investigate real-world problems and develop innovative solutions 

• Computational thinking by learning to break down complex challenges into manageable steps 

• Technology troubleshooting as they debug both hardware and software issues 

• Digital communication through documenting their engineering process and presenting their findings 

  
  

These aren't just robotics skills—they're the foundational digital competencies that open doors to careers in technology, engineering, healthcare, business, and virtually every field in our increasingly digital economy. 

A Partnership That's Growing Stronger 

As we continue this partnership, we're seeing the lasting impact of Baltimore City's commitment to digital equity. The continued support from the Baltimore City Information Technology (BCIT) office demonstrates their dedication to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to develop the digital skills they need to thrive. 

Our returning teams are building on last year's experiences, with students deepening their technical skills and newcomers discovering the exciting world of robotics and digital innovation. As this season's competition approaches, we're excited to see how our teams will grow and what creative solutions they'll bring to this year's challenge. 

Together, we're not just teaching students about technology—we're empowering them to become confident creators and leaders in our digital world. 

Quote from Enzo Blanks, STEM Coordinator, Baltimore City Recreation and Parks.  “Our partnership with LET’S GO has been transformational for the young people we serve. By bringing high-quality robotics and STEM programming directly into our recreation centers, we are expanding access to opportunities that help Baltimore City youth build confidence, creativity, and real-world digital skills. This work is more than teaching robotics—it’s about empowering students to see themselves as innovators, problem-solvers, and future leaders in an increasingly digital world. We’re proud to continue this collaboration and excited to watch our teams grow, compete, and discover their full potential.”