Oftentimes the newest technology is the stuff of our imaginations. DroneBlocks’ prides itself on being at the very forefront of STEM Education with our hardware offerings, making those daydreams a reality for students around the world. That’s why when we speak with Educators like Luis Bolaños at organizations like Code-Crew, we know we’re doing it right! 

Luis is the Special Equipment Manager at the non-profit Code-Crew. Code-Crew is an organization that mentors underrepresented youth to be tech innovators and leaders through practical, hands-on computer science education programs throughout Memphis Tennessee. They reach young students K-12 through after-school sessions, field trips, and summer programs and have Adult Courses as well. Luis is in charge of managing the tech gear and onboarding all incoming technologies, then teaching the educators how to use them. 

Because of his role dealing with incoming tech, Luis found himself in possession of a Go1 Quadruped – but no real idea on how to harness its amazing STEM powers! “A district we worked with had this Go1, but reached out and said we have no idea how to use this. So we borrowed it.” While researching basic operations, Luis stumbled upon the DroneBlocks Go1 content which helped him get off the ground, literally. “The tutorials out there were very few…even how to operate it..it took us an hour just to turn it on! But thanks to DroneBlocks, and your resources, it was helpful to get going.” 

Luis and Code-Crew then went on to purchase their own GO1 and access to the accompanying curriculum. Luis was responsible for tinkering and learning for a couple of weeks then he used DroneBlocks curriculum and guides to compile a Code-Crew guide from setup to launch – to simplify it. “The Code-Crew instructors range from Industry experts to math and science teachers…for them, we get them slowly into the field.”

Not long after the GO1 was received, Luis and his team began thinking about a Drone Light Show, and what that would entail. Luis wondered “How would we get permits? Etc…” But it wasn’t before long that DroneBlocks launched the Drone Light Show Kit, and Code-Crew jumped aboard as one of the first organizations to try it out. “It’s great that it works within a grid, it doesn’t need permits. Now it takes me 30 minutes to set up, it’s not hard.” Code-Crew has used the Drone Light Show Kit for a few events already… “We did a show for our Code School Adult program graduation. We did a template that Droneblocks offered, and then they created the Code-Crew logo and the Bank of America logo which was our sponsor.” Their plan is to showcase them at a few homecoming games next. We can’t wait to see!

What’s even more amazing is the way Code-Crew has been using DroneBlocks tools to engage and excite students. “A lot of stuff we do, the kids may not like computer science when it’s mandatory…it’s really the summer camps and after-school programs that get excited. But our instructors saw a change from the students who were just going because it was mandatory – once they saw the dogs and the drones and how to program them autonomously…some of those students became top scorers throughout the semester.”

Luis summed up this revelation in such a way that made DroneBlocks a proud partner of the great work that Code-Crew is doing: “Some of the kids who see this technology are like this is only in the movies or think this isn’t possible here in Memphis but that we could actually bring that to them? It’s great.”