Arduino is an open-source platform, which means it is freely available for possible modification - it can be seen, modified, and distributed by anyone. It is used by tinkerers, hobbyists, and makers to design and build devices that interact with the real world. It is often cheaper and easier to buy. A lot of the electronics hardware and software needed to build Arduino-based applications and systems are available online, so you can focus on just building your own projects and products in a very short time (called Rapid Prototyping). So, even students in high, middle, or even elementary schools can start working on Arduino projects.