If you are looking for a team of people who enjoy working together on challenges while they design, build, program and drive a robot, the Ridgeview Charter Middle School VEX IQ club is the place to be! Students in grades 6th through 8th meet twice or more per week, where they work together to complete a challenge driving their robot. This program, which Sandy Spring Education Force supports via our STEAM Legacy Grant program funded by STEAM Showcase sponsors, provides opportunities for students to learn new skills, develop problem-solving abilities, enhances creativity and allows students to gain teamwork experience.
Students explore technology and science concepts and increase access to technology. They also learn valuable lessons in leadership as well as learn to overcome obstacles and stereotypical gender barriers, which helps boost their self-esteem and empowers girls to enter the field of engineering where they are underrepresented.
According to teacher and sponsor, Argentina Amores, parents were very involved in the robotics program. They were in constant communication and attended competitions and meetings. Parents ensured students attended club meetings on time, provided food for students to eat during club meetings and carpooled to get students to competitions. They also helped take pictures at the robotics club at competitions.
Parents appreciated the opportunity to enroll their children in this program. Here are just a few quotes from them:
“My son is learning not only about building, robotics and mechanics, but working with a team. I think the notebook component also is a valuable lesson about recording their changes thoughts and ideas and the process as it’s important to learn how to put ideas to paper and be able to articulate rather than just focusing and fiddling.”
“My son is not only learning about coding physics and engineering is also learning about teamwork, working together, listening to each other, healthy competition and leadership. They use all of this to make the robot and team successful. He’s learning social, communications and engineering skills.”
“They learn to solve and have to learn to take into account, other peoples’ ideas and suggestions in order to create the final product.”
“During robotics club sessions, Tim is learning engineering, technical and soft skills. Also, he’s getting knowledge and tinkering coding and programming, mastering skills, problem-solving and teamwork.”
“My son gets excited about coming to this club and is really engaged in the projects. It provides a community of like-minded kids to explore the competitions are great to seeing him in real life and out of school. They are also able to get inspired by other creations and put the work to a test.”
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