On October 13, the National Youth Innovation Foundation partnered with the Franklin Foundation to host an interactive technology event for children with autism and other special needs in Arcadia. Four Southern California youths, who are members of the ROBOSTARS robotics team, founded this non-profit organization to make a difference.

The event featured participants who excelled in the VEX IQ robotics competitions, winning state championships, national titles, and achieving top rankings in the world skills competitions, including Atticus Guo, Winnie Luo, Laura Chen, and Wenqian Chen. These young innovators not only reached out to the community by donating a $1,000 check to the Franklin Foundation but also took the time to teach children with autism how to operate robots.

Atticus Guo expressed his concerns about the lack of opportunities for many autistic children to engage with robotics, which he believes is unfair. He aims to use the foundation’s platform, along with his extensive competition experience and robotics knowledge, to level the playing field for these children by providing equal access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education.

Guo emphasized that educational robotics activities can aid children and teens in various areas such as innovative thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, focus, behavioral norms, and social skills—all of which are crucial for children with autism.

During the event, the Franklin Foundation presented community contribution awards to the young innovators. He Jingxiu, the founder of the Franklin Foundation, highlighted the collaboration with the National Youth Innovation Foundation to organize the “Dancing with Robots” event and establish a robotics club for continued engagement and learning.