Rene Daughtry is a highly experienced professional with 27 years of service at Cisco. He has demonstrated innovative leadership both at the Research Triangle Park campus and within communities across North Carolina. Throughout his tenure at Cisco, Rene Daughtry has been instrumental in establishing various support teams within the Worldwide Technical Support and Customer Experience (CX) Organization. One notable contribution by Rene Daughtry occurred in the early 2010s, when he recognized a lack of technical awareness and education among underserved populations in both urban and rural counties of North Carolina. This realization led him to establish the organization Aisymmetry LLC about ten years ago.
Aisymmetry LLC specializes in conducting Lego robotics workshops and creating educational curricula for youth-based non-profit organizations and churches. In his role as a facilitator and coach at Aisymmetry LLC, Rene Daughtry engages with young individuals who may initially lack interest in robotics or may not possess the necessary verbal and written skills to participate actively. To address this, he employs a unique approach of using presentations and demonstrations to showcase the technology, making it more accessible and engaging for the participants. As part of this effort, Rene Daughtry has embraced the identity of “Coach Rene Daughtry,” positioning himself as a mentor and positive influence in the fields of coding, robotics, and a holistic lifestyle.
Rene Daughtry’s multifaceted contributions as a leader at Cisco and his dedication to empowering youth through robotics education reflect his commitment to innovation, education, and community development. His strategic thinking, combined with his ability to connect with young people, has made a significant impact on bridging the gap in technical education and inspiring future generations. ARTS-CURRICULUM INTEGRATION: (STEAM)
Workshop or Residency Lego Robotics Mindstorm
GRADES: 6 – 12
The goal is to provide an engaging and hands-on introduction to LEGO robotics and coding that sparks curiosity and lays a foundation for further exploration. During this residency students will be provided with LEGO kits and challenged to build a simple robot following instructions provided by the teaching artist. Students will also gain knowledge in stability, balance, and structural integrity in robot design. Our mission is to enhance the way students’ study and experience Science, Technology, Engineering, E-Learning, Art, Music and Math. We are able to inspire their interest by providing “real life” experiences that challenge them to learn and apply new skills. Students realize the value of essential hands on skills through our robotic building, coding, game design and designed thinking workshops. Our programs not only enhance participants’ math concepts but helps develop soft (life) skills as well.
Max Participants: 20 per session/classroom
Duration: 1 day minimum, 4 days maximum, 2 classes per day maximum
Special Requirements:
- Standard classroom with desk, tables and chairs
- For Robotics: large monitor or projector to connect my laptop
- For Coding: internet access, tablets, laptops, Chromebooks
Single Session Fee: $312.50 per hour. (possible additional fees for travel or materials on a case-by-case-basis)
Workshop or Residency Coding For Beginners: Minecraft
GRADES: 6 – 12
Why play computer games online when you can create them? Learn and create games and animation with sound and music through this workshop and learn the principles of coding!
Scratch is a block-based visual programming language and online community targeted primarily at children. Users of the site can create online projects using a block-like interface. The service is developed by the MIT Media Lab, has been translated into 70+ languages, and is used in most parts of the world. Scratch is taught and used in after-school centers, schools, and colleges, as well as other public knowledge institutions.
Minecraft, the popular sandbox video game, allows players to explore and interact
with a blocky, procedurally generated 3D world. It offers various modes,
including survival mode, where players gather resources and build structures
while managing their health and hunger, and creative mode, which grants
unlimited resources for unrestricted building. With its
emphasis on creativity, exploration, and collaboration, Minecraft has gained a
massive following and is celebrated for its limitless possibilities and
player-driven experiences.
Max Participants: 20
Duration: 60 minutes
Special Requirements:
- Standard classroom with desk, tables and chairs
- For Robotics: large monitor or projector to connect my laptop
- For Coding: internet access, tablets, laptops, Chromebooks
Single Session Fee: $312.50 per session
Two Sessions Fee: $625 for two back-to-back sessions (same location)
Workshop or Residency Coding Is Fun
GRADES: 6 – 12
Code.org focuses on promoting and providing access to computer science education for people of all ages, particularly in K-12 education. It offers a wide range of resources, including online coding tutorials, lesson plans, and interactive activities designed to make learning programming and computational thinking more engaging and accessible. Code.org aims to bridge the digital divide and equip students with essential 21st-century skills, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and logical thinking through hands-on coding experiences. Its efforts contribute to increasing diversity and inclusivity in the tech industry by reaching underserved communities and underrepresented groups.
Max Participants: 20
Duration: 60 minutes
Special Requirements:
- Standard classroom with desk, tables and chairs
- For Robotics: large monitor or projector to connect my laptop
- For Coding: internet access, tablets, laptops, Chromebooks
Single Session Fee: $312.50 per session
Two Sessions Fee: $625 for two back-to-back sessions (same location)