Over Coffee® is on holiday hiatus. Please enjoy this reposting of one of our top podcast episodes of 2021!

“There aren’t any of those,” wasn’t acceptable to Unified Robotics founder Delaney Foster.

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A passionate FIRST Robotics competitor, Delaney loved participating in her high-school robotics program.

But for her sister, who has autism, those opportunities just weren’t available.

And then, Delaney took action.

In 2015, she collaborated with her First Robotics team and a special-education teacher to founded her first-of-its-kind robotics program, open to students of all abilities.

Pairing robotics-team members with students with special needs, this groundbreaking program gets everyone working together to create a LEGO Mindstorms robot.

Like FIRST Robotics, this pilot program had a deadline. Six weeks later, those robots would “face off” in a competition of their own.

Fast forward to today. Currently, the Unified Robotics program has seen more than 120 participating teams. More than 400 students have been impacted, according to Unified Robotics’ website. And since their second year in operation, Special Olympics have been partnering with this unique program.

Delaney shared the story of the Unified Robotics program, discussed about some of her favorite experiences and explained what’s involved, for anyone who would like to start a Unified Robotics program locally.

On this edition of Over Coffee®, we cover:

• How Delaney first discovered her passion for robotics;

• The story of Unified Robotics;

• How robotics-team students learned from their counterparts with special needs, while working together;

• Delaney’s favorite memories, from the first Unified Robotics competition;

• How the Special Olympics became involved, as a partner;

• The directions in which the program has grown, so far;

• Plans for the upcoming school year;

• What’s involved, for education professionals who would like to bring a Unified Robotics club to their school;

• How Unified Robotics and their partners assist schools in starting a club;

• What parents can expect, when their students participate in the program;

• How the program’s flexibility works for students with a wide range of abilities;

• What the program needs most in achieving its ultimate goals;

• How the Unified Robotics program inspired Delaney’s sister, as well as other students with special needs;

• An imaginative way in which a robotics student mentor engaged Delaney’s sister in overcoming an obstacle;

• The ways in which tech companies are beginning to make job opportunities available to applicants with different abilities.