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AusomeTech MIT Trip Group Photo | Sponsored by Chelsea Financial Services

Chelsea Financial Services recently sponsored an AusomeTech field trip from NYC to Boston for a tour of the MIT Robotics Lab, benefiting students with autism.

STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, May 14, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Chelsea Financial Services is proud to announce its recent sponsorship of an AusomeTech student field trip from Staten Island to Boston for a tour of the MIT Robotics Lab, benefiting students with autism.

“We were very impressed with AusomeTech and its founder, longtime special needs educator Darlene Bowman, from our first introduction,” stated John Pisapia, President of Chelsea Financial Services. “Ms. Bowman was actively fundraising for a trip to MIT for her students with autism to visit MIT’s renowned Robotics Lab.”

Bowman, the founder of AusomeTech, has been teaching science and technology to young adults with Autism and other cognitive learning differences for over 20 years. She started AusomeTech to address the lack of computer science education for alternate assessment students after high school.

Using Crowdfunding, AusomeTech had reached approximately half of its goal, though time was running out. When Chelsea Financial Services discovered that AusomeTech’s planned trip was imminent, they immediately stepped in to provide the remaining funds.

“We were very grateful for Chelsea Financial Service’s last-minute, trip-saving sponsorship,” stated Bowman. It was an incredible ‘first of its kind’ trip for our young adults with autism and other cognitive learning disabilities. They were able to experience robotics firsthand and even program for JIBO, an amazing social robot they really enjoyed, in block-based coding. AusomeTech’s students were truly able to demonstrate their passion for technology outside of the classroom.”

Hosted by Dr. Randi Williams, a graduate of MIT, the experience consisted of the students meeting the Robotics Lab’s social emotional learning robots, writing a program for JIBO, a tour of the entire Robotics building that included visiting the birthplace of the block-based coding program that AusomeTech students have used since 2015, scratch.mit.edu.

Many of AusomeTech’s students have a passion for technology and have honed their skills thanks to the incredible resources provided by the Scratch team and the Robotics team at MIT. However, for the first time, their students had the chance to see cutting-edge technology in action and meet experts who share their enthusiasm.

“Thanks to Chelsea Financial Services sponsorship, we hosted a ‘Thank you’ dinner for all 18 of us with Dr. Randi Williams,” Bowman continues. “The students got to practice social and conversational skills while sharing their ambitions and dreams for their future goals and careers in tech.”
Pisapia added: “It was so inspirational and so phenomenal for these young adults navigating autism to experience such a magical place; a place full of technologies that never existed, created by MIT’s brilliant and creative students and faculty.”

AusomeTech is currently located at CUNY College of Staten Island, with a residency at CSI St. George Campus. It also partners with the CUNY Creative Exchange Program at CSI Willowbrook (Main) Campus. In addition to providing high-quality recreational and vocational training in technology to young adults with autism, AusomeTech also offers paid internship opportunities and fosters relationships with business leaders and educators to help create a more inclusive environment in both tech education and tech careers.

ABOUT CHELSEA FINANCIAL SERVICES
Chelsea Financial Services is a national full-service brokerage firm. Chelsea opened its first brokerage office in Staten Island, New York in 1999. Celebrating its Silver Anniversary (25 years), Chelsea Financial clients receive investment, retirement, and financial planning advice from 83 Registered Representatives based in 26 States. Chelsea Financial Services is actively recruiting Independent Financial Advisors and Registered Representatives nationally. Visit chfs.com for more information.

ABOUT AUSOMETECH
AusomeTech is a Staten Island-based organization located at CUNY College of Staten Island that provides continuing computer science and technology education for young adults with autism and other cognitive learning disabilities.

AusomeTech also provides paid internship opportunities after high school graduation (at the age of 21) and promotes inclusion in tech education through its residency at CSI St. George Campus and partnership with CUNY Creative Exchange Program (CSI Willowbrook Main Campus.) Visit AusomeTech.com for more information.

Barry Lippold
Nth Degree Media and Management Group, Inc.
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