The opportunity to live in a variety of places around the world has made the Buchan siblings aware of two things. First, we all have a lot in common, regardless of where we come from. And second, many children simply do not have the same opportunities as others.
As Eagle Scouts dedicated to service, they decided to act.
The Buchan siblings created the nonprofit Let’s Bot! Sustainable Robotics: Opportunity for Everyone! to help teenagers from underserved communities discover their talents and imagine careers in STEM-related fields.
“Scouting has provided us with unmatched opportunities to develop leadership and life skills while making lifelong friends through demanding hikes, challenges and projects,” says John Buchan, a 16-year-old Eagle Scout from the Transatlantic Council’s Troop 10 in Madrid, Spain. “Through these experiences, Scouting has instilled a value system that gives meaning to our actions — everything we do should serve a higher purpose. One example is our nonprofit organization, Let’s Bot!”
John is joined in his efforts by his brother, Beau (17), and sister, Cate (19), both Eagle Scouts from Troop 10. They founded Let’s Bot! in 2018 to teach robotics to teenagers from underserved and refugee communities in Spain. They have since expanded the program to Africa, England and the United States.
“We believe there is far more talent in the world than opportunity,” says Beau.
How it started
The origins of Let’s Bot! can be traced back to years earlier when the Buchans were living in Amenia, New York, and Cate was doing volunteer work for a program for kids in underserved communities in New York City. When their parents began to work overseas, the siblings decided to create their own nonprofit to continue and expand their work.
The Let’s Bot! program consists of two full-day workshops run by the Buchans along with trained adult instructors that they recruited. Attendees are mostly teenagers who have shown an interest in robotics but have never had the opportunity to get any hands-on experience.
During the workshops, they get to build LEGO robots, creating machines that can move, perform tasks and even fly.
“The most inspiring moments come when participants see their robots in action,” says Cate. “It seems to flip a switch inside them. Many of them have told us they now want to study and pursue careers in STEM.”
The program’s impact continues long after the workshop ends. Let’s Bot! donates the LEGO kits to local schools, where students are encouraged to use them to start their own robotics programs.
The Buchans continually check in with the schools to make sure they have everything they need.
“We are finding that we are not just building robots but also confidence and cultural bridges as workshop graduates become leaders themselves,” says Beau. “Even relatively minimal touch points — like our two-day workshop — can trigger dramatic changes in young people’s lives.”
How it’s going
Since 2018, Let’s Bot! workshops have benefited Ukrainian refugees living in Madrid; Arabic-speaking teenagers living in the North African coastal city of Ceuta; Syrian, Afghan, Eritrean, Ethiopian and South American refugees living in the United States; children with hearing loss; and hundreds of others.
The siblings have run workshops in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and American Sign Language. They’ve produced videos for social media to promote workshops in Ceuta, Ukraine and Algeciras, Spain.
“We quickly learned that the power of active listening, a shared objective and body language (along with a few translators) can overcome most barriers to communication and bridge cultural divides,” says John.
This summer, Beau and John hosted workshops in Boston and Providence, Rhode Island.
The Buchans are quick to acknowledge that they are blessed to have the opportunity and resources to start such a program.
“Servant leadership is one of our family’s most important values,” says Cate. “For as long as we can remember, our dad has quoted Luke 12:48 to us: ‘To whom much is given, much will be required.’”
John and Beau are still in high school in the United Kingdom. Cate is now a sophomore at Harvard College, where she’s studying economics and computer science. And Let’s Bot! has served more than 1,000 youth and continues to grow, thanks to continuing partnerships with nongovernment organizations and companies in the communities that have hosted workshops.
“One of our main goals is to inspire other Scouts and kids to try and make a positive social impact,” says Beau. “Let’s Bot! shows that when you combine love with action, the rewards are bountiful.
“We can absolutely change lives — and the world.”
Follow the Let’s Bot! Instagram channel for more updates.
Photos courtesy of the Buchan family
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