Alton Middle School and SIUE Students Combine Soccer and STEM in Cougar KickBots Program

ALTON - Alton Middle School students have combined STEM with soccer.

Student Athletes Leading Tomorrow (SALT), an Alton-based nonprofit, has partnered with SIUE’s STEM Center, SIUE’s men and women’s soccer teams, and the O’Fallon, Edwardsville, Triad and Belleville East High Schools’ robotics teams to provide Cougar KickBots at Alton Middle School. Through this program, SIUE athletes take the kids through soccer drills and games and then the STEM Center and robotics teams teach them basic coding skills.

“We’re engaging our children through STEM and also physical literacy. We’re proud of it,” said Damian Jones, founder of SALT, who conceptualized the program. “What we try to do with our programming is create really immersive and unique experiences that are little mountaintop moments for these children to get them out of the valley of sameness, of what they’re accustomed to, what they’ve been exposed to, and take them up to a little mountaintop elevation of soccer and robotics.”

During this six-week program, AMS students played soccer, then designed robots that could move and kick miniature soccer balls. The final session on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, was especially exciting, as the students welcomed Kyle Heibert, a player with St. Louis CITY SC, to join in the fun.

Jones noted that the Cougar KickBots program allowed kids to experiment with both STEM and sports. He believes in engaging “the whole child” and providing the students with unique experiences that will help them grow.

“It’s not about the soccer,” he explained. “It’s not about producing sublime footballers. If that happens, if a child finds his or her voice physically through soccer, that's extraordinary. That’s a win and that’s a blessing. But the more important thing is the exposure. If you’ve ever been around a child that’s been exposed to different experiences, places, people, there's a composure and a confidence in that child that’s palpable because of their exposure.”

Emily Wonnacott-Stanley, SIUE’s STEM Center program coordinator, echoed Jones. She thanked John Klingensmith and George Mitchom, who oversee the local high school robotics teams, for their willingness to get involved in the program and give back.

Wonnacott-Stanley also noted that the program has been a great opportunity for SIUE students to engage with the community. The U.S. Soccer Foundation provided training to the SIUE athletes to help them feel more comfortable as coaches and mentors. Jones and Wonnacott-Stanley believe this experience has helped the athletes develop, which has helped them to help the kids.

“It’s been really fun,” Wonnacott-Stanley said. “It became just this perfect opportunity for our students at SIUE and students at the middle school.”

Sarah Keith, a teacher at Alton Middle School, joked that they’ve been “the guinea pigs” for the Cougar KickBots program, but it’s been a “really cool” experience for the middle school students. She has been excited to watch kids combine their STEM knowledge with their interest in soccer.

“Typically when you have these afterschool programs, they’re geared towards one group. But when you bring the two groups together, it’s phenomenal,” she said. “It’s really, really phenomenal. It’s an excellent program.”

Keith thanked SALT, SIUE, the high schools and the Alton Community Unit School District #11 for their support of the program. She added that the kids are “doing a really good job” and learning a lot.

As the final Wednesday session wrapped up on April 30, participants could enjoy free hot meals from the Byrdies Food Truck, provided by Flock Food Truck Park. Jones emphasized the importance of all these community partners coming together to support the kids.

He noted that this is the first Cougar KickBots program, but it won’t be the last. He hopes to engage more kids in the future by providing opportunities for them to learn, grow and remember their own importance.

“It’s about being present,” Jones added. “For those children to see that you care enough to come and be present, that’s the most important thing…We want these children to understand you’re loved, you’re cared for, and you’re appreciated.”

For more information about SALT programs, visit SALTYouth.org.

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