Louisa Area Students Educational Robotics (LASER)

Mission: LASER provides students with STEAM skills for life through robotics.

Vision: LASER provides students with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) skills for life through student-driven cooperative robotics and coding activities so that they can learn important concepts about collaboration, teamwork, creativity, problem solving, engineering, critical thinking skills, and feel empowered to pursue technical degrees and vocations that are not widely represented in the rural area they serve.

Organization Overview:

LASER is a 100% volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2023 that is passionate about expanding STEAM education opportunities that are affordable and accessible to all students in the rural areas that they serve. The organization achieved nonprofit status in 2024 and earned a 2025 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Educational Philosophy:

LASER takes a holistic approach by fusing technical instruction with various art forms including drawing, writing, music, comedy, and dance to prepare students to think creatively, collaborate successfully, and understand how to maintain positive mental health. The organization challenges every norm of "how things have been done" as they reimagine the learning environment. Their programs are student-led with a focus on student-first experiences, empowering students to dream big and giving them autonomy to think creatively and help shape their experiences.

Programs Offered:

• Kid Battle Bots - Monthly community event for grades 2-9 (concept introduction level)
• Robotics Camps - Early summer community event for grades 3-9 (concept proficiency level)
• Competitive Teams - Application required, late summer through spring for ages 14 and under (concept mastery level)
• Adult Battle Bots - Seasonal community event for ages 15 and up (concept introduction level)

Competitive Teams Program:

LASER competitive robotics teams participate in Vex Robotics competitions where students spend about 9 months working together in small teams to design a robot from scratch to solve a challenge. The organization currently operates five VexIQ teams with both elementary and middle school students from various educational backgrounds including homeschool, COOP, and public schools. Regular season practices occur twice weekly for 2 hours per practice, typically beginning in August. Regional competitions are held in winter (December through February), with post-season tournaments in March (States) and May (Worlds) for qualifying teams.

Affordability Focus:

The organization is committed to democratizing STEAM education by creating programs with affordability and accessibility at the forefront, removing cost as a barrier to learning. LASER maintains some of the cheapest rates in the state for a privately funded organization.

Leadership:

The organization is governed by a board including Jennifer Christian (President), Rebecca Emmel (Treasurer), Adam Plaskey (Secretary), Seth Campbell (Mentors Officer), Jonathan Christian (Operations Officer), and Jason Emmel (General Board Member).