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Rita Cihlar Hermann/Tribune
Brad Bourg of Kenesaw Public School controls his robot during the Robotics Academy Competition at Central Community College-Hastings Wednesday.
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Charis Ubben
cubben@hastingstribune.com
Sixty-two middle and high school students put their schools’ VEX robots to the test Wednesday, in the first-ever Robotics Academy Competition at Central Community College-Hastings.
CCC-Hastings had given each participating school — Hastings Middle, Doniphan-Trumbull, Kenesaw, Superior, Aurora, Holdrege and Grand Island Northwest — a $700 robot back in January. A $2.1 million community-based job training grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, called “Molding Careers to Learn, Earn and Live,” funded the project. The grant is to promote advanced manufacturing careers, said Rebecca Utter, project coordinator.
The VEX Robotic Academy began when teachers received their robots and were trained to assemble and use them Jan. 16.
“They were to go back and get kids interested in it, whether it was part of the curriculum in their class or a before or after school project,” Utter said. “They have to utilize science, technology, engineering and mathematics. So, it’s their way of getting them interested in engineering as a fun thing, too. Plus, they build teamwork skills, problem solving.”
At Hastings Middle School, teachers Mike Trindle, industrial technology, and Jayson Stoddard, seventh-grade science, formed a morning robotics club for interested students.
“There’s a group of students who, I think, probably need some extra activities in the areas of not just science, but kind of the engineering field. Students who have those mechanical interests,” Stoddard said.
HMS now has two robots, thanks to a private donor. During club time, students built the robots and prepared them for Wednesday’s competition. Students began coming in more than once a week as the competition drew nearer, Trindle said. HMS brought 11 students to the contest.
Kenesaw industrial technology teacher Doug Drake brought 17 students to the contest Wednesday. Drake has used the robot during class time, but not as part of his curriculum, he said. |
