About us

RISE is a student-led initiative bringing robotics education to young learners at the GRACE Academic Center in Kisii, Kenya, in collaboration with the nonprofit organization TEEEM. We've raised about $10,000 to provide VEX-IQ kits sufficient for 50 students, with 30 students currently actively participating in the program.
Our mission is to create a sustainable robotics curriculum that teaches elementary and middle schoolers fundamental building and coding concepts, empowering them with skills for the future. Over the summer, our team of 10 student volunteers from Millburn and Livingston High Schools conducted regular Zoom training sessions with GRACE teachers, developed an eight-week curriculum with instructional videos, and built a custom website to support long-term learning.
The GRACE Academic Center is a co-ed day school serving around 120 students, known for its commitment to high-quality education and support for disadvantaged children. With fully certified teachers, nutritious meals, basic healthcare, and a 100% passing rate on the high school entrance exam, GRACE provides an environment where STEM education can thrive.

Our Team

Leadership

Photo of Ayden Dai - Co-President
Ayden Dai

Co-President

Millburn High School

Photo of Karson Jiang - Co-President
Karson Jiang

Co-President

Millburn High School

Photo of Roger Zhu - Board Advisor
Roger Zhu

Board Advisor

Millburn High School

Photo of Derek Zhang - Secretary
Derek Zhang

Secretary

Millburn High School

Alumni

Photo of Rusheel Mishra - Founder
Rusheel Mishra

Founder

Millburn High School

Photo of Arin Kulkarni - Co-Founder
Arin Kulkarni

Co-Founder

Millburn High School

Photo of Calvin Coakley - Project Lead, Director of Curriculum and Implementation
Calvin Coakley

Project Lead, Director of Curriculum and Implementation

Livingston High School

Photo of Joey Deng - Co-Founder
Joey Deng

Co-Founder

Millburn High School