Robotics enthusiasts from Clarence Culver Elementary School in Niles will represent School District 71 and the village at a regional competition next month.
The school’s robotics club recently had teams place first and fifth in an invitational competition against teams from three other schools that was a lead-up to the regional event, school district officials announced in a news release. The March 6 competition is scheduled to take place at Lincoln Junior High School in Skokie , and will be host to teams from nine local schools, according to the release.
“Having a robotics club at Culver was a hopeful vision at the beginning of this school year,” said Culver school Principal Peggie Maniscalco. “Thanks to a motivated coach and bright, excited students it has already become a reality.”
Maniscalco also noted that the school has two competition robots ready to debut shortly after the halfway point in the school year, the release states.
“We have hosted and competed in our first robotics contest with neighboring schools and the Culver teams performed superbly,” she added.
Erin Godoy, a math instructional specialist who also teaches seventh grade science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics (STEAM) classes, acts as coach of the Culver school robotics teams, according to the press release.
Godoy said Maniscalco asked her at the end of the previous school year to teach the automation and robotics course to seventh graders and to launch the robotics club, the release states.
“At that moment I thought to myself, ‘Wow, that’s exciting — and what do I do first to get started?'” Godoy said.
Prior to teaching the STEAM courses this year, Godoy enrolled in training for robotics and automation instruction during the summer months. She also brainstormed ideas with other Niles middle school teachers at a meeting at Niles West High School around the start of the school year, according to the release.
Therese Block, a teacher at Lincoln Junior High, attended the meeting and suggested a robotics competition. Maniscalco also brought up the idea of a competition while at a principals’ meeting, at which point other local school leaders showed interest in the idea, according to the release.
More Top Picks Best Iphone Cases
Culver and three other schools were prepared to compete in time for the invitational, and the release said all nine Niles Township elementary districts are set to compete at regionals in March.
Godoy developed a curricular plan to help the teams stay on track based on guidelines from Project Lead the Way, a nonprofit organization that creates science, technology, engineering and math educational materials and encourages hands-on activities and collaboration for students, the release states.
This year, eight Culver School students have joined the club in its first year. The students split into two teams and worked together on robot designs, according to the release.
“When this started, it was overwhelming to think about,” Godoy said. “But things fell into place once school started and we had a vision. What these students have accomplished has been pretty amazing for year one.”
Godoy added that the students’ success so far this year has garnered interest throughout the school, and school officials hope to expand the program next year and get more girls to participate, according to the release.
“This has surpassed what I was hoping for in the way of excitement and involvement from our students. I am so proud of our club,” Maniscalco said.
Kyra Senese is a freelancer.