On 27 April 2023, the Appalachian Laboratory honored the recipient of the inaugural Inspiration Award. The Inspiration Award was created in recognition of the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of the Appalachian Laboratory. The Inspiration Award recognizes those in the regional community of western Maryland and parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania who share the commitment to future generations by supporting or engaging in activities to promote and advance science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The event was held at Allegany College of Maryland, and Dr. David Nelson, Director of the Appalachian Laboratory introduced the award and the recipient.

Robotics and Engineering in Allegany County – Together (REACT) was the recipient of the Inspiration Award. REACT is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is “to develop engaging and fun robotics learning and character building experiences for all young people throughout Allegany County. We challenge students to use critical thinking, collaboration and communication skills to address real world problems.” A series of speakers from REACT outlined the program, and they shared a sense of accomplishment and enthusiasm. But the stars of the show were the students who spoke about the program, including a wonderful short video by one of the students. Barry Hartung, one of the REACT coaches provided an overview of the REACT program. We saw photos of an older repurposed building in Cumberland, MD that will house the REACT activities in the future. The REACT program has grown from 4 to 25 teams with over 800 students participating over a 5 year period.

Following the award presentation, there was a nice reception in the Allegany College Center Lounge which featured demonstrations by REACT kids. The robotics that were demonstrated were indeed impressive, but it was the enthusiasm of the kids that was the most fun. The mentors and coaches were also enthusiastic and clearly vested in the program.