Florida Power & Light gift funds UWF robotics summer camp

A $50,000 gift from NextEra Energy Foundation, a corporate foundation of NextEra Energy Inc. and Florida Power & Light Company, gave local middle and high school students the opportunity to ignite a passion for engineering, math, science and technology at the inaugural Florida Power & Light Robotics Summer Camp. The inaugural camp was hosted by the University of West Florida Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering.

“Research has shown kids make their decision whether to go into engineering in middle school, so we wanted to bring them in to engage and inspire them to go into STEM fields,” said Dr. Bhuvana Ramachandran, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The gift funds the camp through 2027, and it includes consumable kits, robot control systems and other event materials, all at no cost to participants. The goal is to help students understand robotics; foster knowledge, teamwork and communication; and possibly spark interest in the field of robotics. Sixteen students learned how to assemble and program a robot. The morning consisted of a learning session and in the afternoon, they would put what they learned to use in a challenge, putting the robots to work on a task. Tasks including grabbing blocks and playing football.

J.T. Young, FPL vice president and general manager of the Northwest region, explained that FPL is committed to building tomorrow’s workforce by investing in STEM education programs across the communities it serves.

“Through our strategic partnerships with schools, nonprofits and community organizations, we provide students with hands-on learning experiences, scholarships and direct pathways to STEM careers,” Young said.

Srirama Kesharwani, a local 11-year-old, attended the camp. It was his first chance to build VEX IQ bots that he could code and remote.

“This camp gave us opportunities to build, on top of coding,” said Kesharwani, who has aspirations to become a software engineer. “I feel a lot more used to building robots and coding them; now I can build basic robots.”

FPL supports scholarships and robotics competitions and offers internship opportunities that connect classroom learning to real-world applications. FPL focuses on reaching economically disadvantaged communities, ensuring all students have access to the tools and resources needed to succeed in high-demand fields.

“By nurturing the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers, FPL is helping to create a diverse, skilled workforce ready to tackle the energy challenges of tomorrow while driving economic growth and environmental stewardship in Florida,” Young said.

For more information about the UWF Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering, visit uwf.edu/hmcse.