A life-sized working R2-D2 and C-3PO, as well as other vehicles, droids and Stormtroopers from “a galaxy far, far away,” are helping spark the imagination of young people and showing them the possibilities for their future.
The Theresa Sondra Jacobs, or TSJ, Foundation was founded in honor of founder Eric Jacobs’ mother, a career educator in Fairfax County where she taught art and photography.
“She passed in 2017 and her passion is education and my wife and I wanted to make a difference in the world and create a legacy for her and continue her mission,” said Jacobs, the “Chief Excitement Officer.”
The foundation uses fully functioning Star Wars-themed robots, sculptures, modified vehicles and even holograms begging Obi-Wan Kenobi for help to provide STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) education and career exploration for children.
The group can be seen at comic cons, auto shows, classrooms and parades in their Cadillac Eldorado “Executor Dreadnought,” Death Star Hummer and Mandalorian-inspired mobile lab.
“We build things that are interactive, engaging and different and ignite the passion for knowledge,” Jacobs said.
At this year’s D.C. Auto Show, kids and ‘kids at heart’ were treated to R2-D2 rolling around the floor. Other droids speak to students using voice, rather than ‘beeps’ and ‘boops’.
“We found that when we do these events, we bring robots, especially if they have a voice. Kids at any age, barely able to walk, to adults twice my age, there’s a connection,” Jacobs told WTOP.
He said these pop culture robots have the ability to cut through the constant distractions of apps, phones and scrolling that students now face.
Numerous programs are offered by the Theresa Sondra Jacobs Foundation. One is i-ARTS, or interActive Robotic Teaching System, using these synthetic life-forms to teach robotics, coding, engineering and electronics through a hands-on learning experience. It can be implemented in classrooms, labs, and on the go, bringing STEAM education to students wherever they are.
“We kind of take the veil off the magic. We bring it to reality. This is something that can be done, and we show you how it’s done,” Jacobs said.
They even start with unfinished robots and hope to spearhead a robotics program at an area school in the future, already making visits to dozens of schools across D.C. and Northern Virginia.
“The smiles that we create, bringing things to life for these kids that they’ve never experienced but seen on TV. It’s life changing for some of these kids,” Jacobs said.
They have opened their workshops and droid building to older students through internships. One group designed and built arms for the robot they call “The Professor.” He performed as a greeter robot at a museum exhibit last year.
“Education, that’s what our underpinning is, no matter what we do. We believe learning shouldn’t just happen in textbooks. It should be immersive and visual and interactive,” Dave Liddle, the foundation’s Chief Communications Officer, told WTOP.
Jacobs is also a lifelong Star Wars fan. The beloved franchise connects him to his mother, who drew Star Wars artwork for him while she was in hospice.
“I call it ‘The Force’. It’s whatever that binds us, and it connects us,” Jacobs said. “I’m still connected to my mother every day.”
He said an ultimate goal for the Theresa Sondra Jacobs Foundation is to one day have a museum “to find your future.”
“We found that most kids, when they graduate high school, have no idea. And there’s such a high percentage of those kids that actually changed their major their first year in college,” Jacobs said.
They hope this “FutureQuest” experience will allow students and adults to explore different careers, whether it be underwater welding, air traffic control or HVAC work.
They hope to partner with companies that would provide content and information about careers while they supply the technology through holographic displays, robotics and interactive panels.
Before they get a permanent space, they plan to use the mobile lab designed like The Mandalorian’s spaceship, “The Razor Crest.”
“That is how we want to take ‘FutureQuest’ on the road and bring it to a school. We’re looking for partnerships, companies that want to be inside that space. And so, we’re looking to build those opportunities,” Jacobs said.
Liddle added, “Our goal is simple. It’s to spark curiosity and help young people discover future careers and reinforce the lessons that they’re learning.”
The group, which has been rated highly by GuideStar, is actively seeking funding for “FutureQuest,” as well as companies that can help provide career information and content.
“We can make this place better for our future, in any way we can. I think what we’re here for is specifically guiding young people,” Jacobs said. “When my mother passed something turned on and whatever that is, she’s here and I think she hit the switch.”