STEAM Clubs at FIT: Introducing High School Students to the World of IT

Every Monday afternoon, you might come across a group of high school students at FIT. In the robotics lab, they’re discovering a world that remains hidden to the vast majority of their peers. They’re members of the STEAM Club, which is held at our faculty during the summer semester thanks to Dr. Michal Kapinus. STEAM clubs (an acronym for science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) are organized by JCMM, a non-profit association of legal entities in the South Moravian Region, whose goal is to support quality (not only) high school education and gifted children in our region. This is a project unique in the entire country, and hundreds of talented students have already participated in it.

Each club is designed for about 10 participants with a deeper interest in technical and scientific topics. The clubs integrate science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics to solve real-world problems. Participants form mini-teams and work together with technology in a research laboratory setting. The clubs thus “identify” gifted young people who are potential candidates for further study in technical fields. In short, it is a practical approach to fostering interest in fields that, unfortunately, often instill fear of difficulty and inaccessibility among high school students (especially female students). And they develop not only subject knowledge but also collaboration skills, presentation skills, and creative thinking—which is perhaps an even more important benefit of the entire project.

Machine Learning and Robotics: Knowledge That Will Come in Handy

Monika Školová, JCMM project manager responsible for STEAM clubs, sees the clubs’ value clearly: “I consider their key mission to be fostering an interest in science and technology among curious high school students. And also that they get a glimpse into their possible future, which is very motivating for them. Furthermore, it is important to connect them into communities across schools, which supports collaboration, inspiration, and the sharing of experiences.” Young people are creating a community that will provide them with important connections for their further growth and professional future. Monika Školová also has words of praise for our faculty: “As for FIT, I greatly appreciate the variety of topics offered, their relevance, and their practicality, which allows students to work with modern technologies and relevant tasks.”

In the 2025/2026 academic year, there are twelve STEAM clubs. They have addressed and continue to address a wide variety of topics, to name just a few: artificial intelligence, electron microscopy, urban architecture, or biopolymers. The Faculty of Information Technology organized two of them. In the fall, it was the Machine Learning: Data in Practice club; in the spring, you can still meet students from the Robotics club here on Mondays. In this club, participants learned, for example, to program the Dobot Magician robotic arm using Dobot Studio, familiarized themselves with the basics of computer vision in robotics, or tried their hand at assembling an automated robotic line. The highlight for the students was the opportunity to try working with the state-of-the-art UR5e collaborative robot. Finally, they will work on their own robotics project.

Experiences for Both Sides

STEAM clubs connect university researchers and high school students, serving as a source of new experiences for both sides. Michal Kapinus, a researcher at FIT, has taken on a new role thanks to leading the clubs. “I work very well with the students. They are skilled and curious; they aren’t afraid to use their creativity and come up with their own ideas when solving assigned tasks. At the same time, in most cases, they aren’t afraid to ask if something isn’t clear to them,” he says, assessing the clubs’ progress. High school students work in teams whose composition changes continuously, allowing them to practice cooperation, which isn’t always easy, Kapinus notes. “They surprised me with their skill—at the beginning, they had absolutely minimal experience with robotics, and most of them had no experience with programming either. And after just a few sessions, they’re already able to create interesting technical solutions with all kinds of robots.”

Lukáš, a student at Biskupské Gymnasium, also attended both STEAM clubs at FIT VUT. While the fall machine learning course served as a deepening of his existing knowledge, he had never encountered robotics before. “What I gained most was probably the chance to try out a field I knew very little about. And also to get more familiar with the university and the labs. It’s something completely different. I’m figuring out here what I could study and do after high school. And the chance to work with an industrial robot is awesome. Mr. Kapinus always explains things clearly and is happy to help. I’m really glad I chose robotics.”

Monika Školová also confirms Michal Kapinus’s observations about working with young people: “I enjoy working with high school students precisely because it’s possible to observe their enthusiasm and creativity, see the immediate effect of motivation, and at the same time support their skills and self-confidence. Of course, it’s also demanding—I won’t deny that. Especially coordinating different levels of experience. But the result is worth it.”

As is tradition, the students will present their projects at the final meeting of teams with researchers, SOČ participants, and other guests at STEAM Slam. This year, the event will take place on June 23 at the Faculty of Information Studies (FSI) at Brno University of Technology, and all interested parties from secondary and elementary schools are invited to attend.