TDHS Robotics Immerse Students in a World of Technology
by Stephanie Bowen
Early in the morning the Robotics classroom at The Dalles High School hums to life as students trickle in before the bell. From freshman to seniors, there is one thing in common among these students - a passion. Robotics isn’t what most people think of when it comes to a high school education but now, more than ever, classes like Charles Webber’s at TDHS, are of growing importance. By the time these students graduate in the next few years, over half of the available jobs around the globe will be in the STEM field.
STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math is one of the fastest growing career fields, with even more growth projected in the near future. Webber’s class checks another box as well, as a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway at TDHS. Courses such as robotics immerse students in the world of technology and help spark interest in the pursuit of STEM careers for many, and it shows in this morning’s class.
TDHS Senior, Angel Garcia, is an aspiring electrical engineer with a college acceptance already under his belt. Garcia got his start early, way back in the days of Lego Robotics as an elementary student.
“One of my friends mentioned it, and I just thought ‘hey that sounds cool,’ and now here I am,” he laughs.
Now, with nine years of robotics under his belt, Garcia is eagerly awaiting his future in the field.
“It’s what I enjoy doing. This (class) gives me an edge and helps prepare me for that.”
The number of women in STEM fields has also continued to grow over recent years.
According to U.S. Census data, women account for about 27% of the STEM workforce, a number which has more than doubled over the last 50 years.
Senior Makayla Williamson, is one of those women headed to the field, “I want to be a pediatric surgeon,” she shares. Her experience in robotics will come in handy - in today’s healthcare world, more and more surgeons are turning to robotic-assisted surgery, a minimally invasive technique that is growing in popularity and use.
Another student in class knows all about robotic surgery, Jack McAllister’s father is one of those surgeons. He’s even got to check out the hospital’s Da Vinci Robot during a field trip as part of the Robotics Club and Wasco County 4-H. McAllister isn’t planning on following in his father’s footsteps though - while the sophomore still has time to decide, he has his eyes set on Oregon State and a future in engineering.
Student’s in Webber’s Robotics class start with the ‘clawbot’, one of the simpler robots and the foundation for entering into the field, introducing students to things like sensors, gear ratios and friction coefficients. While considered basic, the Clawbot still boasts over 300 parts and is packed full of engineering concepts.
As students progress, many end up in the after school Robotics Club co-sponsored by Wasco County 4-H. Broken into teams of three or four, students are essentially handed a box of parts and turned loose to create their vision. Students have to draw on multiple concepts including engineering, computer science and coding to be able to build a successful bot.
The students compete in VEX Challenges, the largest and fastest growing middle school and high school robotics program globally. In VEX competitions, teams design, build, and program robots to compete at tournaments. Each year there is a different ‘challenge’ element, students find out in May what the challenge element will be for the next academic year.
Students know what they're doing too, “I can walk up to any of them and say, ‘I love what you've done’ and they'll talk your ear off,” Webber remarks.
Two of our high school robotics teams, Irrelevant and System Overload, recently qualified for the prestigious US Open VEX Robotics National Championship tournament this March in Iowa. Tournaments are held year-round at the regional, state, and national levels and culminates at the VEX Robotics World Championship each May.
In today's world of emerging technologies, it is more important than ever to prepare students with the right tools for their future. CTE courses like Robotics are an influential factor in helping build 21st century skills and inciting passion for robotics. Webber makes it a point to talk to his students when he sees new technologies and innovations when it comes to robotics and potential career paths.
Webber is doing more than just teaching students, he’s helping shape the next generation of creative and innovative thinkers and preparing them for the future of STEM in the workforce.
Will you help the TDHS Robotics Club?
The club relies on sponsorships and donations to attend tournaments, if you would like to help send our students to regionals, state and hopefully the world competition this spring, the TDHS/Wasco 4-H Robotics program have set up a GoFundMe account you can donate to.
