By Ashley Menefee

Martha Hunt Elementary School in Plano ISD has recently welcomed a new student to its classroom - a robot!

Get ready to be blown away by one of the coolest things happening in education right now! We're talking about Reggie's Robots program, the ultimate game-changer in the world of learning technology.

What exactly is Reggie's Robots, you ask? Well, it's a program that's designed for students who are not able to physically attend school due to health reasons. Its unique feature is that it uses robots to give students a customized learning experience from the comfort of their own home or hospital room!

Take Arden Harris, for example. She's a seven-year-old attending Martha Hunt Elementary in Plano ISD. Arden's parents, Scott and Mary Harris, were concerned about their daughter missing out on special events and social interactions with her classmates due to her health condition which made it unsafe for her to physically attend school. The homebound program was an option, but it did not solve the social isolation concern.

That's when Arden’s parents discovered Reggie's Robots - a four-foot tall robot that allows students to operate it remotely. Scott, who is a Virtual Care Director for Methodist Health Systems, is no stranger to the use of medical robots. He was excited to discover the incredible educational benefits that robots like Reggie can provide.

The best part? The robot allows Arden to communicate with her classmates and teacher one-on-one as if she were physically in the classroom. With an iPad or computer, she can drive the robot around the classroom, participate in small group stations, and even raise her hand to ask a question - all with the push of a button!

According to Mary, using the robot has been a game-changer for Arden. Not only has it helped her stay engaged in the classroom with her teacher and friends, but it's also allowed her to keep up with her social life when she's at home. Even with the robot, Arden is still being her fun-loving, chatty self. Mary shared that sometimes Arden talks so much through the robot that she gets into trouble, just like in a regular classroom.

Using the robot has given Arden a huge boost in confidence. Before, she was a little apprehensive about wearing her pink helmet. Now, with the support of her classmates and her trusty “bot-buddy,” she's no longer afraid to wear her helmet! Ardens’ classmates were beyond thrilled to be a part of something so unique and special. Her classmates have been helpful by clearing a path for her to drive through or holding up things the teacher needs her to see.

Arden's teacher, Trish Alway, and Lisa Garner, the program coordinator, were both incredibly excited to build normalcy in Arden's classroom routine, and it all started with the morning meetings.Mrs. Alway is especially thrilled when Arden sings along with the class during these meetings. It's clear that Arden is always eager to participate.

Scott and Mary are beyond grateful that this program exists to support Arden through her medical needs and transitioning back into the classroom.

The program is available to all districts and charter schools in the Region 10 ESC geographic area, and it can benefit students from kindergarten to high school. If you know someone who could benefit from this innovative program, be sure to visit www.region10.org/robots to learn more.

Who knew that technology could provide such amazing opportunities for students to access education, build confidence, and maintain social connections? It's just one more example of how technology is changing lives and shaping the future of education