During observations, the students in each of the after-school programs were highly engaged in preparations for the tournaments. Under the guidance of the Fellows and their teacher-coaches, they actively participated in programming and constructing the robots and doing research for the tournament presentations. It was clear that in addition to learning problem solving, STEM skills and concepts, and the application of theory to practice, they were developing team-building skills and relationship skills.

As part of the in-class programs, the project exposed students to an enriched math and science curriculum that utilized hands-on experiences and the use of technology. The next phase of the evaluation will explore the extent to which these experiences will lead to greater interest in and achievement in the STEM disciplines.Recent evaluation of the project indicates that it has been implemented with a high degree of quality and fidelity to its original design. Survey responses from 228 students reveal that large % of project students are from groups historically underrepresented in STEM.

Students indicated that working with Fellows: increased their interest in STEM (77% of students); helped them learn more about STEM (82% of students); and helped them gain a better understanding of how STEM fields are used to solve real-world problems (73% of students). Moreover, 79% of students reported that Fellows were creative in helping students understand lessons and nearly 83% reported improvement in their ability to listen and respond to other people's suggestions and concerns. Students were engaged academically, socially, and emotionally in the project and students' families were supportive and enthusiastic.