A BRIEF REVIEW

February 2024

Opening Young Eyes

To Career Possibilities

Even before the 45 or 50 or so elementary-age kids get off the bus and enter the afterschool program classroom at the Tamassee DAR School, you sense their excitement. They’ve been here before, and they know what’s in store. Legos. Robots. And a whole lot of fun.

It’s a game of sorts, that they play with their friends—and the caring mentors who show up for each every-other week session to help them, support them, and encourage them to learn.

The students bounce around, eager to get started. Each pair of kids work with a grown-up volunteer, and the children take turns. The first is at the keyboard of a laptop, navigating to the first step in a set of directions. The other gets to do the task.

So, while one child navigates the computer to know what comes next. The second finds the pieces required and puts them in place.

There might be six, seven, eight steps in all. They take turns, they work together, they make something. They don’t quite know what it is until they’re done, but they’re pretty sure their creation will, in the end, make noise, light up, move by itself—or all of the above.

They’re playing. They’re having fun. And they’re learning. About robotics, about computers, about the possibilities that are out there, waiting for them.

By providing hands-on technology, robotics and computer-science education at schools and community centers to pre-K through 12 students in Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, and Pickens counties, BRIEF is helping transform futures.

This organization was created to nurture God-given talents of economically challenged kids—and instill hope for future. You’re invited to join us in taking full opportunity of the BRIEF time our young people have to learn skills, gain confidence and anticipate success.

A big thanks to these local organizations for recently partnering with BRIEF financially and volunteering to help the underserved students in Pickens and Oconee Counties!