Great news, we are on target to ship Smart Buddies, our newest product range: a diverse set of relatable characters, or "buddies," on self-balancing, programmable robots called Siggys™ to enable learners to better envision themselves working in STEM and coding.

With a focus on storytelling, the coding solution leverages the Smart Buddies app, where students are first introduced to their buddies – different role models who have interests in science, engineering, and the arts.

These characters address systemic and personal issues such as diversity, race, gender differences, and conflict resolution. Students are then exposed to the basics of block-based coding by controlling the movements of their characters on their Siggys.

Exercises include problem-solving techniques that cover fundamental coding concepts such as sequences, loops, events, conditionals, functions, and variables.

"Everything we do at Pitsco Education is rooted in providing future-relevant skills for all learners, regardless of their race, gender, or socioeconomic background," said Pitsco Education Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Stephan Turnipseed. "In partnership with SmartGurlz, we are on a mission to help more children identify with STEM, be much more inspired to continue their coding and STEM education journey, and ultimately contribute to bringing much-needed diversity to the STEM workforce."