The Udonis Haslem Foundation, founded by three-time NBA Champion, Udonis Haslem, in partnership with Riders.ai and Miami EdTech, is proud to announce the expansion of a robotics and coding STEM skills across 10 local public schools including Hialeah Gardens Sr High School, Coral Park Sr High School, Southwest Sr High School, Jose Marti MAST Academy among others. 

Keeping the holiday spirit, Udonis Haslem has rung in the new year by sponsoring 250 student scholarships towards Riders.ai so that students can learn how to build and program robots virtually. This expansion represents a commitment to providing more access to critical STEM skills for students in Miami Dade County Public Schools. Over the last 12 months, these 10 schools had about 5 students utilizing the Riders.ai curriculum and competitions. With this expansion to 25 more students at each school, Riders.ai will help foster healthy STEM, robotics and coding environments and allow Miami students to showcase their knowledge, and talent on a global scale. 

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"I'm excited to help connect these kids to opportunities that seem to get to at-risk communities last. New ways of learning are the key to participating in a new and changing world, " says Udonis Haslem.

The integration of Riders.ai's curriculum into Miami Dade County Public Schools promises to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity among students, equipping them for the challenges and opportunities of the future. The opportunity for students to apply the knowledge they gain in global competitions from schools around the world is definitely motivating, and will certainly help showcase the talents of Miami youth and their readiness for advanced future jobs.

Max Ringelheim, Riders Director of Operations says, “After learning about the Udonis Haslem Foundation’s mission, we were quickly able to see the natural alignment it had with the work Riders is doing. It’s an honor to partner with Miami’s own, and 3x NBA Champion Udonis Haslem, to help support his local community acquire the skills necessary to thrive in the 21st century.”

Miami EdTech, a driving force in the city's education technology ecosystem, is dedicated to fostering innovation and excellence in learning through technology-driven solutions. As part of this collaboration, Miami EdTech will provide both teacher and student office hour support, ensuring that educators are well-equipped to guide their students effectively and that students have the guidance they need to thrive.

Carlos Vazquez, Founder and President of Miami EdTech says, “83 million jobs worldwide will become automated by 2027 and Miami ranks 2nd with a potential 15% job-loss- it’s our responsibility to ensure that we prepare our teachers and the future of our STEM workforce with the skills and knowledge to thrive in this evolving economy”. 

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This collaboration aims to nurture Miami's future tech innovators and entrepreneurs by investing in the city's talent pool, thus strengthening the city's position as a hub for innovation and technological advancement.

Other Miami Dade County Public Schools interested in joining this program are encouraged to reach out, as there are still available spots for participation.

‍About Riders.ai

Riders.ai, a virtual robotics and coding and curriculum and competition platform, empowers students with the tools they need for STEM exploration. While using Riders, students learn how to build and program simulated 3D robots in real time all while developing algorithms that expose them to early AI skills such as image recognition, and object detection. This innovative and engaging platform requires nothing more than a computer, a Wi-Fi connection, and a web browser.