Bridge the Gap Projects
Building a sustainable STEM environment for communities locally, nationally, and globally.
Our projects are designed to bridge real gaps in STEM access — from recycled LEGO kits and inclusive workshops, to senior cyber safety and sustainable sponsor networks. Each project connects back to our mission: “Bridge the Gap” in STEM education.
Our Mission: Bridge the Gap
“Bridge the Gap” means increasing access to STEM education for communities facing challenges such as lack of funding, limited resources, language barriers, or stereotypes that create a gap in opportunities.
Through the STEM Bridge Ecosystem, we:
- Build a sustainable STEM learning environment
- Design replicable project toolkits
- Track our impact with a public dashboard
- Share everything openly through the STEM Bridge Hub
We’re building a STEM ecosystem that any team, teacher, or community can copy, adapt, and improve.
The Five Bridges of Impact
Every project in our program is part of one of five “bridges” — each bridge focuses on a different type of gap in STEM access.
| Gap Type | Focus | Core Value |
|---|---|---|
| Resource Gap | Equal access to STEM tools and materials | Equity & Accessibility |
| Generational Gap | Digital literacy and cyber safety for seniors | Inclusion & Lifelong Learning |
| Accessibility Gap | Universal STEM design for special needs | Inclusion & Empathy |
| Awareness Gap | Spreading FIRST & STEM culture across communities | Inspiration & Collaboration |
| Financial Gap | Sustainable funding to keep STEM open to all | Sustainability & Partnership |
All of our projects belong to one (or more) of these bridges and are designed to be sustainable, measurable, and replicable.
Featured Projects
Each of these projects is student-led, data-driven, and designed so other teams can reuse the model through our STEM Bridge Hub.
1️⃣ FIRST Parts Recycling System
Bridge: Resource Gap | View project details »
We collect, repair, and redistribute LEGO & FLL kits (and later FTC/FRC hardware) to under-resourced schools and community programs. Students design a full recycling workflow — from donation booths and cleaning & sorting to repacking kits with lesson guides.
2025 Targets:
- At least 5 LEGO donation booths
- At least 200 LEGO pieces per team member
- At least 30 rebuilt kits for events
- Reach 5 communities / 6 schools and 150+ participants
2026 Expansion: Scale to FTC/FRC hardware reuse and launch a Cross-Team Recycling Alliance with teams across Canada and beyond.
2️⃣ Senior STEM — “Cyber Bridge”
Bridge: Generational Gap | View project details »
A student-led program that brings cybersecurity, anti-fraud education, and digital literacy to seniors. We connect generations through robotics demos, simple tech workshops, and 1:1 mentoring.
2025 Targets:
- “Meet the Robot” workshops at senior homes
- “Build Together” LEGO sessions (student–senior pairs)
- At least 3 workshops, 60+ seniors reached
Metrics: 30 seniors, +30% improvement from pre/post tests, 2 partner homes by 2026.
3️⃣ Disability Organization STEM Day
Bridge: Accessibility Gap | View project details »
An inclusive STEM experience designed with Universal Design for Learning (UDL). We adapt LEGO and robotics activities for students with diverse needs.
- Sensory-friendly setup (quiet space, visual guides, large pieces)
- “Robot touch zone” and simple button-based interactions
- 1:1 LEGO teaching pairs with student volunteers
2025 Targets: At least 3 workshops, 60+ participants and 80 contact hours, at least 90% satisfaction.
2026 Focus: Build a “LEGO Inclusion Kit” and an Inclusive STEM Handbook that teachers and teams worldwide can download.
4️⃣ Community Events & FIRST Promotion
Bridge: Awareness Gap | View project details »
We use LEGO workshops, library sessions, mall events, and FLL mentoring to introduce more families and schools to FIRST and STEM.
- LEGO Workshop @ RoboPlanet
- Library STEM Series
- Shopping Mall Promotion & LEGO Drive
- School outreach & FLL mentoring (4 schools, 6 teams, 60+ students)
Two-Year Targets: 2025 – at least 6 events, 500+ participants. 2026 – cross-province “STEM Day” with partner teams and online STEM Bridge workshops.
5️⃣ Sponsor & Funding Support Line
Bridge: Financial Gap | View project details »
A structured sponsor program that funds FIRST registrations, outreach events, and materials — and teaches students real-world skills in communication, reporting, and sustainability.
- Outreach to at least 10 corporate sponsors
- Public Sponsor Recognition Page and Annual Impact Report
- Student training on proposals, reporting, and data summaries
Targets: 2025 – at least $3,000 raised and at least 3 recurring sponsors. 2026 – build a cross-country STEM Partner Network and pilot a “STEM Bridge Grant” for schools abroad.
STEM Bridge Hub — Our Global Sharing Platform
To make every project easy to copy and improve, we are building the STEM Bridge Hub — a public space where teams and educators can download our toolkits, watch videos, and view our impact dashboard.
Platform Type: Google Site + Google Drive + YouTube | Launch Target: December 15, 2025 (MVP)
| Module | What’s Inside |
|---|---|
| Project Toolkits | Activity guides, templates, MOU forms, lesson plans |
| Video Library | Teaching and community videos with bilingual subtitles |
| Impact Dashboard | Reach, volunteer hours, sponsors, and media data |
| Partner Network | Schools, libraries, senior homes, sponsors |
| Reports | 2-page event summaries and annual impact report |
All resources are released under a CC-BY license, with a one-page Quick Start so other teams can quickly reuse them.
Impact by 2026 — Local, Cross-Country, Global
By the end of 2026, our Bridge the Gap projects aim to reach students, families, seniors, and partners across multiple communities.
| Community Group | 2025 | 2026 (Projected) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students (K–12) | 500 | 800 | 1300 |
| Families / Parents | 40 | 100 | 140 |
| Seniors | 30 | 200 | 230 |
| Special Needs Students | 20 | 50 | 70 |
| FLL Members | 60 | 100 | 160 |
| Sponsors / Partners | 10 | 20 | 30 |
| International Collaborators | 0 | 10+ teams | 10+ |
| Total Reach | ≈800+ | ≈1,500+ | ≈2,300+ |
2025–2026 Execution Timeline
Our projects follow a clear cycle so we can plan, execute, measure, and improve every year.
| Phase | Timeframe | Key Milestones |
|---|---|---|
| Initiation | Oct 8 – Oct 31 (2025) | Partnerships confirmed, KPIs set, templates drafted |
| Execution | Nov 1 – Dec 14 (2025) | Projects launched; data collection in progress |
| Delivery | Dec 15 – Dec 31 (2025) | STEM Bridge Hub (MVP) launched; impact reports uploaded |
| Scale-Up | 2026 Season | Cross-country and global replication with partner teams |
Join Us in Bridging the Gap
Whether you are a FIRST team, school, community center, sponsor, or educator, you can be part of the STEM Bridge Ecosystem.
- Run one of our project toolkits in your community
- Translate or adapt an activity for your region
- Partner with us on senior homes, inclusive centers, or LEGO recycling
- Support our work through sponsorship or grants