A Special Day with Toyota Research Institute

On Saturday, July 19, 2025, we teamed up with Toyota Research Institute (TRI) and their amazing HOLA! Employee Resource Group to host a free robotics workshop for underserved Latino students—and it was a day to remember.

Held at TRI’s Los Altos campus, the event welcomed 7th and 8th graders for a fun, hands-on introduction to robotics. For many of the students, this was their first time building and programming a robot—and they absolutely nailed it.

Learning by Doing

Instead of lectures, students got straight to work. With guidance from TRI engineers and volunteers, they learned the basics of robotics through fun challenges, teamwork, and lots of trial and error. The best part? Watching each group bring their robot to life and seeing their reactions when it actually worked!

This wasn’t just about robots. The event gave students the chance to meet engineers and mentors who looked like them, spoke their language, and shared similar backgrounds. That kind of connection goes a long way in helping young people believe, “I can do this too.”

We’re incredibly grateful to the entire team at Toyota Research Institute, especially the HOLA! ERG, for making this event possible. Their warmth, energy, and commitment to the community made all the difference.

To all the students who joined us—we’re so proud of you! And to the parents and families—thank you for trusting us to be a part of your child’s learning journey.