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Robotics programs flourishing at Cass County schools

LOGANSPORT, Ind. (AP) - Robots have invaded Cass County elementary schools.

Earlier this school year, six county schools received a grant from TechPoint Foundation for Youth. The organization has partnered with Indiana businesses to award robotics start-up grants to 400 elementary schools. So far, they've given out almost 350 VEX IQ robotics kits.

Through the robotics clubs, students have learned teamwork, problem-solving, as well as science, technology, engineering and math skills, commonly referred to as STEM, said Kristie Hostetler, Franklin Elementary School's teacher coordinator.

Each school received a starter kit and handbook to design and build one VEX brand robot. Kids first built the stock model, and through trial and error, Hostetler said, they have been modifying the machines to perform better in competitions. There, the robots are tasked with picking up items from the playing field while students work together with an opposing team to beat the clock.

"It's not just always about the big trophy for this," Hostetler said about the competitions. "It's like, 'We're not done. We're still competing. We're going to make this better.'"

Franklin fifth-grader Dania Fermoselle, 10, said in between competitions, her team is modifying the robot to remove parts that are not needed as well as add or subtract weight to counterbalance the robot. The club has two robots now, one which was donated by a local business.

"I really like the creativity that we use to modify them," she said.

The robots belong to the students, Hostetler said, and not the teacher. She instructed them on how the robot functions, and they were tasked with building it, coming up with new strategies and ideas along the way. Hostetler said the mind of a fifth-grader is limitless.

"They will understand and be able to apply that in so many more ways than if I had just said, 'Here's what you do: Go do this, this, this and this,'" she said. "If we didn't have a program like this, they may never know that's a possibility for them down the road."

Galveston Elementary School's club now has three robots, two donated from area sponsors, Don Watkins, the club's teacher coordinator, said. Each robot has about six or seven students working on its design and build. The club will soon learn how to program the robots, he added.

Right now, they're operating the machines through a controller. But through coding on the computer, they can figure out how to make it move without a remote.

Eleven-year-old Kaden Benner said he joined Galveston's team because of his love of science. Max Grist, 10, said he's always wanted to be an engineer. Another team member, 11-year-old Lyndsey Norwood, keeps track of the changes they make to the robot in their notebook.

"I keep on saying, 'Guys, we've got to work as a team,'" she said.

Watkins said the robotics club has taught the students independence. Hostetler added that they've learned about if-then statements, cause and effect and variables in equations.

"They see it as something being really fun," Watkins said, "and they don't realize that they're picking up skills."

In addition to Galveston and Franklin, Landis, Caston, Pioneer and Thompson elementary schools all have VEX robots, and each will compete on Jan. 14 at Franklin in Logansport.

Hostetler said she's hoping to add a team or two for fourth-graders at Franklin. Third-graders are already learning about Spheros, app-enabled robots, after school, she added. Watkins said at Galveston, he's also wanting to create a fourth-grade team later on this year.

Both teachers said the program has given kids a way to excel outside of the classroom while learning school standards in a new and different way. Franklin fifth-grader Sam Fultz, 11, said when he was younger, he always wanted to build robots - and now he can.

"You get to hang out with all your friends building robots," he said, "Who doesn't want to do that?"

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Source: (Logansport) Pharos-Tribune, http://bit.ly/2iqQWml

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Information from: Pharos-Tribune, http://www.pharostribune.com

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