NY Garage Project Becomes Thriving Youth Robotics Hub

Robots zipped across competition fields while drones soared overhead as hundreds of families gathered at RCS High School for an evening that proved science doesn't have to be intimidating. It can be downright fun.

The Ravena Innovation Station welcomed the community to its annual Robotics Night, where students from across New York's Capital Region showed off engineering projects they'd built with their own hands. Young innovators operated competition robots, flew drones, and taught visitors how STEM learning happens when you make it accessible.

Kate and Rick Robertson started the Innovation Station in their garage with a simple idea: give kids hands-on experience with science and technology. Today, the organization operates from the basement of Congregational Christian Church and partners with local schools to offer programs for students from pre-kindergarten through high school.

"We want kids to know that STEM is fun and it's something they can get involved with," Kate Robertson said. The annual showcase doubles as both celebration and invitation, introducing families to programs that transform basement tinkerers into confident engineers.

Teams like the Coeymans Chameleons and Ravena Rattlesnakes demonstrated their competition robots alongside visiting groups from Albany High School, Tech Valley High School, and Saratoga 4-H. Frank Peris from the University at Albany brought drones and has been teaching a spring STEM class at the station.

The Ripple Effect

The learning extends far beyond circuit boards and code. Students develop teamwork, public speaking, and problem-solving skills as they prepare for competitions that judge them on community outreach alongside technical achievement.

Robertson loves watching different teams tackle identical challenges in creative ways. "I love to see the different ways each team approaches how to accomplish the same goal," she said.

The organization now offers four age-specific programs: FIRST LEGO League Discover for pre-K through first grade, Explore for grades two through four, Challenge for grades five through eight, and Tech Challenge for students in grades seven through twelve. Fall programs begin in August and run through January, with registration currently open.

What started as a garage experiment now touches hundreds of young lives each year, proving that community-driven education can thrive when passionate people create space for learning. The Innovation Station hosts an open house June 16 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Congregational Christian Church on Main Street in Ravena for families interested in exploring what's possible when kids get their hands on real technology.

One robotics program launched in a garage is now sending waves of confident, skilled young people into STEM fields who know they belong there.