Day 1: Kicking Off with Coding and Animation at UCF
Location: University of Central Florida, Orlando
Theme: Coding Websites, Chatbots & Animation
The first day of Orlando STEAM Coded launched with energy and creativity. Students from different backgrounds and latin american countries came together to dive into the world of technology and digital art, guided by passionate UCF teachers.
Workshops and Activities
Participants took part in two exciting workshops:
Coding Workshop: Students learned the fundamentals of website development and built their first functional chatbot exploring how coding can bring ideas to life and create interactive digital experiences.
Animation Workshop: Led by a professional comic artist, students discovered the art of visual storytelling, illustrating their own characters and understanding how animation merges creativity with technology.
Highlights
The atmosphere was vibrant and curious as students experimented with coding tools and shared their first animations with pride. Collaboration and problem solving were at the heart of every activity, setting the tone for the days ahead.
Key Takeaways
By the end of the day, our students had successfully created a website, developed a chatbot, and brought their drawings to life through animation all while learning directly from industry professionals.
Day 2: Exploring Environmental Engineering at Epic Universe
Location: Epic Universe, Orlando
Theme: Environmental Engineering & Sustainability The second day of Orlando STEAM Coded took students out of the classroom and into the real world at Epic Universe, where learning met adventure. Guided by UCF teachers, participants explored the park through the lens of environmental engineering, focusing on how science and sustainability shape the spaces we live and even the worlds we imagine.
Activities and Exploration
Students conducted hands-on scientific research throughout the park, observing systems related to energy use, waste management, and sustainable design. The day encouraged them to think critically about how environmental engineering can create cleaner, more efficient, and ecofriendly communities.
Highlights
The immersive experience at Epic Universe sparked curiosity and teamwork. As students moved through different themed areas, they discussed how similar principles could be applied to their ongoing “Space Colony” project, where sustainability is a core challenge.
Key Takeaways
By the end of the day, students had deepened their understanding of sustainability and environmental responsibility, connecting real world examples to their futuristic designs for space living. The field experience blended fun and science proving that innovation thrives wherever curiosity leads.
Day 3: Discovering Physics at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Location: Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Orlando
Theme: The Physics Behind the Magic
On the third day of Orlando STEAM Coded, students stepped into the world of imagination and innovation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where science powers every bit of magic. This special session, led by Disney staff, introduced participants to the fascinating world of physics in theme park design with a focus on gravity, motion, and magnetism.
Workshops and Activities
Disney’s education team guided the students through the mechanics behind some of the park’s most thrilling rides. Using real world examples, they explained how forces, acceleration, and magnetic systems work together to create safe yet exhilarating experiences.
Students didn’t just listen, they engaged in discussions, asked thoughtful questions, and even ran small experiments to better understand how physics drives the Disney experience.
Highlights
The Disney facilitators were impressed by how quickly the students grasped advanced concepts. They specifically noted that the ABC students demonstrated strong physics knowledge and analytical thinking, standing out for their curiosity and teamwork.
“The ABC group really understands how physics makes the impossible feel real,” said one Disney instructor.
Key Takeaways
By the end of the day, students had strengthened their understanding of gravity, magnetism, and motion, connecting these principles to their Space Colony project especially the challenge of designing efficient and safe transportation systems for a futuristic environment.
From roller coasters to rocket concepts, Day 3 proved that when creativity meets physics, imagination truly takes flight.
Day 4: Ride Design and Storytelling at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Location: Universal Studios – Islands of Adventure, Orlando
Theme: Designing Rides with Emotion and Storytelling
On Day 4 of Orlando STEAM Coded, students explored the thrilling world of ride design and storytelling at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Guided by Universal Studios staff, they learned how creativity, engineering, and emotion work together to create unforgettable experiences using the VelociCoaster from Jurassic Park as their inspiration.
Workshops and Activities
Universal’s education team led students through an interactive workshop where they studied the elements that make a ride both exciting and meaningful. They analyzed the VelociCoaster’s narrative design and sound effects to the sensations riders feel, discovering how storytelling amplifies technology to create a powerful emotional connection.
Afterward, the students worked in teams to design their own ride concepts, each focusing on how to evoke emotion and engage an audience through immersive storytelling and creative engineering.
Highlights
One of the most inspiring moments came when students presented rides that went beyond thrills aiming to make people feel something unique. The Universal staff praised their ability to think like professional designers, blending empathy with innovation.
Key Takeaways
By the end of the day, students understood that engineering alone isn’t enough. Great design also requires emotional storytelling. This insight will guide them as they continue to develop their Space Colony project, where creating meaningful experiences for future explorers will be key.
Day 4 reminded everyone that science and emotion aren’t opposites together, they make innovation unforgettable.
5: Engineering in Motion at Universal Studios
Location: Universal Studios, Orlando
Theme: The Six Degrees of Freedom & Robotics
Day 5 of Orlando STEAM Coded was all about movement, mechanics, and innovation. Students returned to Universal Studios to dive into the engineering magic behind one of the park’s most dynamic attractions, the Transformers Ride.
Workshops and Activities
Guided by Universal’s technical educators, participants learned about the six degrees of freedom, a key engineering concept that explains how an object can move in 3D space forward and backward, up and down, left and right, plus rotation along each axis.
Students explored how this principle allows ride systems to create immersive, lifelike motion, simulating flight, speed, and impact. They then transitioned to a hands-on robotics session, where they applied the same concepts to code and control a robot capable of multi axis movement.
Highlights
Team collaboration took center stage as students worked together to brainstorm how they could integrate motion and robotics into their Space Colony project. They connected theory to practice, thinking about how vehicles, drones, or exploration tools could move efficiently in a zero gravity environment.
Key Takeaways
By the end of the day, students had a clear grasp of how mechanical freedom, coding, and physics come together to create interactive experiences and real world engineering solutions. Their teamwork and creativity pushed their project ideas to a new level proving that movement is at the heart of innovation.
Day 6: Finalizing the Space Colony Project at UCF
Location: University of Central Florida, Orlando
Theme: Project Completion & Presentation Preparation
As Orlando STEAM Coded entered its final stretch, Day 6 marked a pivotal moment for all participants. Back at the University of Central Florida, students dedicated the day to finalizing their long term Space Colony Project, a culmination of all the science, technology, and creativity they had developed throughout the week.
Workshops and Activities
Both junior and senior groups focused on completing their designs, refining their concepts, and ensuring every detail aligned with sustainability, innovation, and human centered engineering. Teams collaborated intensely, testing ideas, adjusting prototypes, and preparing their final presentations for the next day at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Highlights
Students put the finishing touches on their colonies from architectural design to transportation systems and environmental sustainability. Their work stood out among all teams, earning praise from mentors and facilitators for originality and technical depth.
Later in the evening, everyone celebrated their hard work with a well deserved visit to Disney Springs, sharing laughter, stories, and inspiration before the big presentation day.
Key Takeaways
Day 6 was all about teamwork, problem solving, and preparation. Students not only completed impressive, futuristic projects but also strengthened their confidence in presenting complex ideas clearly and passionately. Their readiness for NASA was a true reflection of how far they had come as young innovators and as a team.
Day 7 – November 6: Presentations and Closing Ceremony at NASA Kennedy Space Center
Location: NASA Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral
Theme: Innovation, Recognition & The Coded Experience
The final day of Orlando STEAM Coded was truly out of this world. Held at the NASA Kennedy Space Center, students proudly presented their completed Space Colony Projects, the result of a week filled with creativity, problem solving, and collaboration across science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
Activities and Presentations
Guided by the Coded Staff, participants delivered their final presentations to judges and mentors, showcasing the depth of their research, design thinking, and engineering skills. Each project reflected the students’ ability to merge imagination with innovation, addressing real challenges of sustainability and human life beyond Earth.
Highlights
It was a day of excitement and celebration. Our school shined brightly earning six recognitions for excellence in best website design and scientific research. Students impressed the audience with their clarity, confidence, and passion, embodying the true spirit of the STEAM movement. Diego Rossi G8, Isabel Urías G10, Kahlil Martin G10, Luis Miguel G12 are the students who were awarded as a new generation of leaders (Coded Spirit).
Key Takeaways
Beyond the awards and applause, students left NASA with something even greater: the Coded experience a mindset of curiosity, innovation, and perseverance that will continue to guide them in every future challenge.
As the closing ceremony came to an end, it was clear that Orlando STEAM Coded wasn’t just a program, it was a launchpad for the next generation of explorers, thinkers, and creators.
This is a video from the official event !
Interested in the STEAM Coded Orlando for 2026? Please ask Mrs Judith Mendez and Mr Martinez at the LRC.
