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Every year the proud designers in Laurel watch their hand-built robots navigate mazes, capture images for the Internet and even fly. These machines, ranging from the size of a paperback book to a laptop computer, operate via remote control, cell phone and Internet programming that may come from as far away as New York and Chicago.

"You can program things into the computer and tell [the robot] to go forward or spin or go through an obstacle course," said one of the robot's creators, Dontrell Smyre of Clinton.

Dontrell is 10 years old.

EduSerc, a nonprofit focused on career development among students from elementary school through high school, has supported the aspirations of students such as Dontrell through numerous programs, including its Young Innovators Engineering After-School Program and Young Innovators Pre-Engineering After-School Program. The Young Innovators programs serve more than 160 students annually.

"This is what gets students excited," said EduSerc CEO Brian Smith, who also owns SmithSolutions, a company in Laurel. "We break down the complicated things in simple terms and once they understand those, we go back and break down the technical terms."

EduSerc combines both hands-on learning projects and mentorship from industry experts to keep students engaged in their studies. Smith also emphasizes the entire development and business process when teaching his young engineers, incorporating elements such as budgeting, time management, salary calculation, product pricing and sale proposals.

"Students learn how to think logically and be creative at the same time," he said.

Smith started EduSerc — spelled out as Educators Serving the Community — in 1996, supplementing the nonprofit's $250,000 annual budget with revenues from his business. In 2005, SmithSolutions' revenues topped $250,000. Since receiving full ownership of the small business in 2006, Smith said his major goal has been aligning its product developments to benefit EduSerc and vice versa. EduSerc clients or partners might see the phone and Web-based services Smith provides through the nonprofit and be encouraged to seek out his for-profit business for other needs, he said.

"The goal is about sustainability. When you're small, you have to focus on what work you can handle," Smith said.

EduSerc has also formed partnerships with Northrop Grumman and local public school systems to implement its educational programs. With Northrop Grumman's engineering summer program for high school students, EduSerc has provided training to mentors and students since 2005.

"This success has afforded us the opportunity to conduct the initial mentor and mentee orientation for [the program] in Baltimore," Smith said in a statement.

Most of EduSerc's revenues come from sponsors in the community, although Smith said donations have dropped from the $20,000 it received in 2007. As a result, EduSerc has sharpened its focus on Science Technology Engineering Mathematics programs, which Smith said are the most desired in today's market. This June, EduSerc received a $60,000 grant through the Maryland Higher Education Commission to bring such studies to 40 students at Harlem Park Elementary and Harlem Park Middle schools in Baltimore. The nonprofit also received $10,000 through the NBC Universal Foundation to offer its robotics course at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C.

Smith's passion is one of EduSerc's greatest strengths, said Charles Britt, founder of the Center for Minority Achievement in Science and Technology in Washington, D.C., one of EduSerc's newest partners. It is key to making the changes EduSerc strives to make in engineering fields, he said.

"The program provides the underserved population with new opportunities," said Edrika Hall, site coordinator for Prince George's Gear Up program, which prepares students for college and has partnered with EduSerc for two years. "The students are always hungry for more." Young Innovators is offered at four Prince George's schools.

The Young Innovators programs do more than foster ingenuity, Smith said; they also give students the chance to interact with students taking the course in other states. He said the value of having some robots controlled via Internet commands is that the local students, along with their out-of-state peers, can operate the robots.

"Brian knew how to make it fun. Even though it's hard, you still learned how to do it," Dontrell said. "If you do something wrong, he stops what he's doing and comes over and helps." Dontrell dreams of a career in industrial engineering.

His grandmother Anne McClain said she appreciates EduSerc's method of teaching students to express what they are learning and teaching them that they control their own success.

Smith hopes to eventually sell and outsource the Young Innovators curriculum to other schools.

"It is very relevant to an industry-based need," he said.