By Kadam Bhambari
As a professional educator, I have always felt at home in classrooms. I’ve spent years designing lessons, nurturing curiosity, and witnessing that spark in a child’s eye when a concept finally clicks.
But in 2022, I felt a deeper calling — to take my experience beyond textbooks, beyond schools, and into the community. I initiated something I called “Hour of Code with Rotary,” carrying laptops, lesson plans, and a heart full of enthusiasm into multiple government and private schools. We reached 10–12 schools, introducing students to computing in the most joyful way — by letting them create.
There’s one memory from working with the students that sticks out. A student wrote his first little block of code, hit run, and the computer obeyed. His face lit up, and he said with pure wonder, “Ma’am, the computer is listening to me now!”
That sentence affected me deeply. It was proof that when children experience learning, not just hear about it, something shifts. They feel empowered.
Learning through laughter
Gradually, the initiative grew. I introduced coding, AI, and robotics workshops, using my experience as an educator to keep sessions simple, engaging, and friendly even for first timers. Not every workshop was perfect — and that’s the beauty of growth. We had days when computers wouldn’t boot, robots lost wheels, and students had to share devices. Yet rather than give up, the students collaborated, problem-solved, and celebrated every tiny win. Chaos often turned into creativity, and laughter became part of learning.
To scale up our efforts, I started seeking support from different companies, organizations, and technology partners. Over time, several companies believed in the cause and extended resources, tools, expertise, and kits. Their support helped us deliver Robotics bootcamps, AI starter sessions, 3D printing demonstrations, and hands-on STEM activities at a much larger scale. With partnerships, our workshops didn’t just grow — they became more interactive, more accessible, and more memorable for students.
This year was special. Rotary Club Chandigarh Midtown received the District Monthly Award (August 2025) for the Most Innovative Project for our Robotics Workshop. When I heard the news, I had to smile; not so much because the award defines success, but because it honours all the behind-the-scenes efforts including preparing kits late at night, transporting robots across the city, training volunteers, and the many joyful “Ma’am, it ran!” moments.
Multiplying impact
Recognition like this reminds me why I began this effort and encourages me to continue. It pushes me to think bigger — to take STEM learning to more schools, more children, more communities. I am actively working to develop new associations and collaborations, because when industries and educators come together, the impact multiplies.
As we move forward, I’m excited to introduce Digital Literacy, Creative Computing, Internet Safety, and Future Skills programs, ensuring learning is not just an activity — but a lifelong empowerment.
Rotary has taught me that when we contribute even a piece of our professional skill, we create meaningful changes. My skill is education. Yours might be music, business, finance, healthcare, or art. Whatever it is, someone out there can benefit from it. The small steps we take today help build a future shaped by innovation, empathy, and curiosity.
Have you used your professional skills to give back to the community? Leave a comment in the section below.
Kadam Bhambari is a STEM Educator and the spouse of Jeeten Bhambari, past president of the Rotary Club of Chandigarh Midtown, Chandigarh, India.
https://blog.rotary.org/2026/01/08/engaging-young-minds-with-robotics-and-stem/