Robotics are being used in Elmore County elementary and middle schools to aid in teaching STEM and soft skills.
Officials believe introducing VEX Robotics, even in the elementary grades, creates a better education for students. To put students’ STEM knowledge and other skills to the test, Wetumpka Elementary School students attended the VEX Robotics IQ competition Saturday. Nearly 30 schools were represented as the Wetumpka High School NERDs and Elmore Young Engineers hosted the competition for middle and elementary school students.
PHOTOS: VEX Robotics IQ competition in Wetumpka
“They are working on different engineering skills that go along with math and science,” Airport Road Elementary School teacher Sarah Lamar said. “It allows them to learn and take STEM further than just seeing it, but applying it.”
During the competition, students assembled robots from motors and parts to capture balls and toss them into targets for points. The robots are driven remotely There was also a portion of the competition where students had to code the robots to operate autonomously.
“They have to figure out how to work as a team,” Lamar said. “It’s the first time many of the elementary students do that and it’s thanks to this.”
Elmore County Schools STEM director Tracy Wright said the students are learning life skills as well. The competition has an element where teams from different schools are paired together to accomplish a task on short notice.
“They learn conflict resolution,” Wright said. “They figure out how to compromise on different ideas and come to a solution. We have kids who don’t understand how to resolve conflict in conversations. They are starting to learn this working in teams and again in the competition.”
The competition gives the teams about five minutes to work through a solution.
“They discuss a strategy, develop a strategy, and then apply it onto the field when they work together as a team,” Wright said.
The students also learn how to communicate their thoughts and ideas with others.
“These kids don't know each other until the moment they sit down with each other,” Lamar said. “It is a great way to develop skills of talking to people you don't know.”
The competition highlights the younger students from EYE as they are front and center. The Wetumpka High School NERDS advisor Dr. Virginia Vilardi said it’s great to see the younger students involved in STEM activities. It gives the students an opportunity to do things beyond the classroom that will aid them the rest of their school career.
“It just starts those higher learning skills and methods that kids need,” Vilardi said. “It just gets them to be creative in a different way and teaches them how to problem solve.”
Vilardi was supervising the NERDS Saturday. It is a chance for the high school students to give back as others have given their time to them, and it puts the NERDS in the judge’s seats.
“They are doing the interviews and scoring them,” Vilardi said. “They are helping manage the competition. They are helping judge. It is teaching them how to be better people and adults.”
