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Robots to help students at Rich Center for Autism
A donation of more than $130,000 from the Youngstown Foundation helped purchase three robots to help students on the spectrum with social and emotional learning.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -
Inside the doors to the Rich Center for Autism are the newest members of the teaching staff.
"We were able to bring three robots from RoboKind and the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum here to the Rich Center," says executive director Dr. Greg Boerio.
He saw the robots at a conference three years ago. They use technology-based intervention, one of 14 evidence-based practices of the Autism curriculum.
"Not often do we see all those interventions combined into one thing to accomplish one goal, so that's what's unique about these robots," says Marleigh Gilyard, Partnership Success Manager with RoboKind.
The robots will help students prepare for social experiences like birthday parties and play dates. They'll also help the Center build a track record of results.
"Social and Emotional Learning is so important and it's something we work on every day, but to have a consistent social emotional learning curriculum...that consistency is really going to help increase some of those optimal outcomes in our students," said Dr. Boerio.
There will be evaluations done every quarter to assess the robots' progress in helping students.
