A Tremendous Success with 64 Participants!
Our LEGO Racer STEM Night brought together 64 students over two sessions at Arena STEM. Students spent the evening designing, building, and racing their own LEGO vehicles while learning the fundamentals of engineering and coding. Seeing kids troubleshoot their builds and celebrate when their cars finally worked the way they wanted was the kind of moment that reminds us why we started this organization.
Capturing the excitement and innovation of LEGO Racer STEM Night
Thursday kicked things off with 32 participants. Most students came in not knowing what to expect, but once they got their hands on the LEGO kits and coding tablets, they got to work pretty quickly. Teams formed naturally and spent the build phase debating designs and testing different approaches to the obstacle course.
Friday brought another full group of 32 students. It was interesting to see how different teams approached the same challenge. Some prioritized speed, others focused on stability and sensor precision. A few teams came up with solutions we hadn't considered when designing the course, which was cool to see.
64
Total Participants
16
Teams per Night
Each night ran a tournament bracket where teams raced through our obstacle course. Students had to navigate turns, avoid barriers, and use their sensors correctly to get the best times. Between rounds, teams went back to adjust their code or rebuild parts of their cars. The final races both nights drew pretty big crowds, with parents and other students watching to see who would win.
Using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® turned out to be the right choice for this age group. The platform is accessible enough for beginners but has enough depth to keep more experienced students engaged. Students could focus on either the physical building, the coding, or both depending on their interests.
We targeted elementary students but ended up with ages ranging from kindergarten through middle school. The age mix actually worked well since older students often helped younger ones with the trickier coding parts, while younger students came up with some of the more creative design ideas. Our Council Rock high school volunteers provided mentorship throughout both evenings.
My son had a great time here! He loves working with LEGOs and seeing the new moving engines really made him curious. Thank you so much for hosting the event!
— Parent of a 3rd grader
I loved racing and customizing my car. We learned how to make it turn better when we hit obstacles and we made it look like Sonic.
— 4th grade participant
Teams had 45 minutes to build and code their vehicles using LEGO Mindstorms kits and tablets. Students could choose how complex they wanted their builds to be. Some kept it simple to focus on perfecting their code, while others went for more ambitious mechanical designs.
The obstacle course tested speed, turning capability, and sensor programming. Not every car made it through on the first try. Some veered off course, others stopped at obstacles. But watching teams analyze what went wrong and fix it between rounds showed real engineering thinking.
We organized teams by age groups, but students naturally helped each other across teams. Older participants explained sensor functions to younger students, while some of the best design ideas came from the youngest teams. The volunteer high schoolers circulated to provide guidance when teams got stuck.
Arena STEM was an ideal venue for this event. Between racing sessions, participants had access to VR stations, additional LEGO building areas, drone piloting zones, and track design stations. The facility staff helped coordinate activities and ensured everything ran smoothly both nights. Having access to their equipment and space made a significant difference in what we could offer.
Both evenings followed the same structure:
Teams had 45 minutes to build and program their LEGO racers
15 minutes for test runs and adjustments
Each team completed two timed runs through the obstacle course
Top performers advanced through an elimination bracket
The two best-performing teams faced off in an exciting final race
Custom LEGO Designs
Precision Engineering
Celebrating Success
Elizabeth and Sahana, two STEMEPA members, showcasing their LEGO Racecar builds that inspired many participants!
As high school students running STEMEPA, we remember what it was like being in elementary school and not having many opportunities to explore STEM outside the classroom. That's a big part of why we started organizing these events. We want younger students to have access to hands-on learning experiences that actually make STEM feel approachable and interesting. Watching a third grader figure out sensor programming or seeing teams work together to solve a design problem makes the planning and coordination worth the effort. These are the kinds of experiences that can shape how students think about STEM long-term.
We initially planned for around 40 participants total but ended up with 64 across both sessions. The turnout exceeded our expectations and showed there's real demand for these types of hands-on STEM programs in our community. Running two identical sessions worked well and let us accommodate more students while maintaining a manageable student-to-mentor ratio.
We're already in early planning for future events. The success of this format has us thinking about expanding to more locations or adding additional session dates. Theres clearly strong interest in accessible STEM programming for elementary and middle school students, and we want to continue building on what we've started here.
A visual journey through two incredible nights of STEM innovation
📸 28 photos capturing the magic of LEGO Racer STEM Night
This event was possible thanks to:
If you missed this event, keep an eye on our website for upcoming opportunities. Registration for our events typically fills within a few days of announcement. We're committed to continuing these programs and expanding access to hands-on STEM education across Bucks County.
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