In the pandemic, I began a LEGO building class for unhoused kids at The Brooks Short Term Family Housing Shelter in DC where LEGO sets are given to the kids and I lead them in assembling the sets.

Earlier this year, I heard about The Brooks Short Term Family Housing Shelter for DC families and thought it would be a fun experience to talk about and build LEGOs with the kids. After figuring out the logistics, I had my first small LEGO class online due to COVID restrictions with two kids living at The Brooks. Though it was challenging to not do this in person, I guided them through the set and I could see their growth from the beginning as first time LEGO builders, to the end of the class. Since then, I have done two much larger-scale in person classes with more than 15 kids each attending. Now that the kids seem comfortable with LEGOs, I am planning on having classes with more independent challenges like building a strong bridge to support a maximum weight or making the tallest structure in a certain amount of time. These challenges could be completed using the skills they have learned from previous classes. I enjoy teaching the kids about LEGOs and helping them have fun in their difficult lives.