Robots are in Franklin County.So are we.
The South Central STEM Collective is a non-profit organization focused on building the future of STEM, right here in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Business, Art, and more
The South Central STEM Collective (otherwise known as SC2) was created to serve South Central Pennsylvania as ‘STEM Central’; inspiring youth aged 9-18 with hands-on education, competitive robotics teams, and community outreach. With three rapidly growing programs and a team of experienced volunteer mentors, SC2 is the perfect place for students to learn real world skills in a fun and competitive atmosphere.
FIRST® LEGO® League
Ages 9 - 16
FLL introduces science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to children through fun, exciting hands-on learning. Participants gain real-world problem-solving experiences through a guided, global robotics program, helping today's students and teachers build a better future together.
FIRST® Tech Challenge
Ages 12 - 18
FTC students learn to think like engineers. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.
FIRST® Robotics Competition
Ages 13 - 18
Under strict rules and limited time and resources, teams of high school students are challenged to build industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game in alliance with other teams, while also fundraising to meet their goals, designing a team “brand,” and advancing respect and appreciation for STEM within the local community.
Who is FIRST®?
All of our programs are members of a global organization called FIRST®. The mission of FIRST® is to inspire young people to become leaders in science and technology fields by teaching real-world skills through team work and competition. Each year, a new challenge is presented to teams who, with the help of experienced mentors, must apply their skills to build a functional robot. Once built, the robot is put to the test in a competition setting against teams from around the world.
More Than Robots
Although the goal is to build a robot, you do not have to be an engineer. Whether you are a future rocket scientist or an aspiring artist, there is a place here for you and mentors ready to use their real world experience to help you grow.
Why join?
Learn real-world skills
Get hands on with tools and technology under the supervision of experts in their fields in everything from engineering to marketing. Learn not only how the tools work, but how to use them effectively.
Experience leadership and teamwork
Build strong relationships with teammates and mentors as you work together throughout the season. Learn how to make decisions as a team and take leadership in your area of expertise.
Education through competition
Prepare to compete against teams from around the world with a limited time-frame, tight budget, and a complex challenge. Learn how to work under pressure and build reliable systems that can handle intense competition.
Scholarships and career opportunities
Being a member of a FIRST® team is more than just building robots and learning about STEM. It opens doors to scholarship and career opportunities that you cannot get anywhere else. Many of our alumni used the skills developed while students to pursue careers in STEM (and related) fields.
Fun
Although we take our work seriously, we also have a lot of fun. Whether it's dancing to the YMCA at competition, playing a game of Kahoot during a meeting, or just hanging out with friends as we work on our robots, we always manage to have a lot of fun.
Meet our highschool team, learn about FIRST®
Ready to join or find out more? Contact us!
We are always looking for new members, mentors, and sponsors! If you want to find out how you can get plugged in or are looking for more information, please reach out through our Get Involved form.