In its first year of operation, the Robotics Club at Lew Wallace School 107 is moving from a startup to a competitive team.
The club recently participated in the VEX IQ Slapshot at Fall Creek Valley Middle School in Lawrence Township. The team scored in each round of the competition. The students programmed a robot to retrieve small plastic discs from one of the dispensers and move them to the other side of the field.
Coach Telegra King said the group is making good progress.
“An important accomplishment is watching my team gain confidence in themselves and each other,” she said. “They really encourage each other to do their best and keep trying even when something didn’t work the first time.”
King also noted the Robotics Club allows students to learn how to code and write commands for robots through play. Through programming and controlling robots, students can step into the world of science, acquiring knowledge and skills that will be useful and applicable beyond the classroom.
“The purpose of robotics goes beyond learning specific mechanical skills because it teaches patience, focus, and problem-solving skills,” King said. “In the future, jobs will be impacted by robotics. We need our students to learn more about engineering through robotics to support learning. This gives us an opportunity to try new and different STEM projects.”