Ashley Romero
SPIRIT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD • TECHNOLOGY
Making Reading Practice Feel More Like Play
BearBot
Children who find reading difficult may need more than another lesson. Sometimes they also need a way to practice that feels comfortable, familiar, and encouraging.
Ashley Romero helped create BearBot with Marangelis Uben, Bintou Manneh, and Maram Ahmed. The team developed the idea as a stuffed reading companion that combines play with technology. A built-in scanner and personalization features are designed to help children practice reading while holding something that feels more like a companion than a classroom tool.
The team was motivated by concerns about children's reading levels and the challenges faced by young readers who need extra support. BearBot explores whether learning technology can feel both useful and reassuring.
What your support made possible:
Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award support and recognition to help the BearBot team continue refining and developing its reading companion.
Because of you... Ashley can keep exploring how technology, play, and comfort might come together to help a child feel more confident while reading.