A Maui fundraiser pulled in $175,000 for school science and tech programs, good news for island students hoping to build careers at home.

• Students from five Maui County schools showed off robots and coding projects at a Wailea benefit that drew 400 supporters.
• The money pays for competition travel and robot parts, which cost far more than school budgets cover.
• A student-built "robo-dog" at Maui High, programmed to do tricks, has become the showpiece that pulls younger kids into the programs.
• Organizers point to a brain drain problem — Hawaii has open jobs in tech, engineering and health care but keeps losing young talent to the mainland.

Outlook: The Maui Economic Development Board will use the funds to expand robotics into more schools and steer students toward local STEM jobs.