BV Hub Awarded $119K MLSC STEM Equipment Grant to Expand Robotics Education

The Blackstone Valley Hub for Workforce Development (BV Hub) is proud to announce that we have been awarded funding through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) STEM Equipment Grant for the 2025–26 program year. This $119,000 investment will expand robotics-based STEM education for more than 1,200 students in grades 3–8 during the program’s first year, supported by at least 10 trained educators across our partner schools.

Partner School Program Advantage

This grant is a direct benefit of the BV Hub Partner School Program (learn more at www.bvhub.org). As part of this initiative, BV Hub works closely with member schools to identify opportunities, write proposals, and secure external funding to strengthen STEM learning. The MLSC award demonstrates how collaboration through the Partner School Program creates real, lasting impact for students and educators alike.

Recipient Schools

The following schools—each part of the BV Hub Partner School Program—will benefit from the grant:

• Northbridge Elementary

• Clara Barton Elementary

• Northbridge Middle

• Oxford Middle

• North Brookfield Jr./Sr. High

Robotics Equipment & Curriculum

Through this funding, students and teachers will gain access to high-quality robotics kits,

digital curriculum, and professional support from our partners at True Robotics:

• Elementary Schools: 24 Taking Off with Pilot robot kits, 2 digital curriculum licenses, and staff training/support.

• Middle & High Schools: 31 Axle robot kits, 2 digital curriculum licenses, and staff training/support.

The True Robotics curricula—Taking Off with Pilot (Grades 4–5) and Introduction to Robotics with Axle (Grades 6–8)—integrate robotics and coding with core life science and physical science standards.

Learning Through Robotics

This program provides students with engaging, project-based opportunities to explore:

• Life Science Concepts: Modeling survival systems, ecosystems, energy transfer, and even selective breeding through purposeful robot design.

• Physical Science & Engineering: Applying force, motion, and energy transfer principles while using the engineering design process to solve challenges.

• Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving: Designing experiments, analyzing data, and refining solutions under real-world constraints.

Preparing Students for the Future

Beyond strengthening STEM foundations, this initiative connects directly to future workforce opportunities in fields such as:

• Life Sciences: Biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, environmental science

• Healthcare & Biomedicine: Prosthetics, medical devices, diagnostic technologies

• Engineering & Computer Science: Robotics, automation, coding, and data science

Students will also practice durable skills that are essential in any career: collaboration, communication, observation, and troubleshooting.

The BV Hub is excited to partner with local schools and True Robotics to bring this hands-on, future-focused learning experience to our region. Together, we’re building a stronger pipeline from classroom learning to STEM careers—and preparing the next generation of innovators.