March 28, 2024

Creston Community High School students build robots for competitions

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Battling robots for sport was a sight once only seen in movies, but now that fantasy lives in the classroom of Heidi Lumbard, head of the Creston Community High School Robotics club.

“Creston’s high school has not had a robotics program in several years,” said Lumbard.

Lumbard joined the Creston school district this year, teaching physical and unified sciences as well as representing TRIO Educational Talent Search, VEX Robotics and FTC Robotics. She had previously worked as a science and engineering teacher at Southwest Valley High School in Corning, heading the robotics programs there as well.

“I asked before I was hired if it was a possibility for me to start a robotics club,” said Lumbard. “I’m passionate about kids going to these competitions. There’s so much for the students to see and learn and experience. On top of that, it’s addicting levels of fun.”

Currently, Creston is preparing for two separate robotics competitions: VEX Robotics and FIRST Tech Challenge. Although there are noticeable differences in the events, the two competitions function similarly. Students are provided kits and a challenge that requires them to build, program and control a robot.

Each year, the competitions have different challenges with different sets of rules, but the matches have a standard set up uniform amongst both competitions. Four teams compete on a playing field in two temporary alliances, a red alliance and a blue alliance. There is a primary task that the robot is designed to accomplish that scores points for the alliance, along with other optional scoring methods. Whichever alliance has the most points wins.

“I’m excited for their first competition in January. It will be an eye-opening experience for them,” said Lumbard.

Students learn mechanical skills building robots and customizing them. Problem solving is required to design ways to achieve the goals. In VEX, students are given a demo robot that can do basic functions. But in order to find ways to score more points, adjustments are a necessity.

“The demo bot has a basic claw appendage, but this year in VEX the best way to score points is to pick up blocks and put them in tall goals,” said Lumbard. “The students began to realize they need to find a way to make the claw extend and immediately began coming up with designs.”

FTC doesn’t provide a demo robot. This year robots have to place interlocking brick cubes on moving platforms and push the platforms to goals. Bonus points are rewarded if the robot can do it autonomously, requiring students to advance their coding knowledge to stay competitive.

“Pretty much all these students are new to robotics,” said Lumbard. “The teachers like to see the students with the robots and see the changes.”

Zach Gillum, a freshman currently working on the VEX robot, explains why he enjoys robotics.

“I love technology a lot and I feel it may help me create a mindset of building and programming,” said Gillum.

Lumbard believes robotic programs are an important extracurricular activity in the ever-changing technological environment of today.

“Robots are gonna rule the world.” said Lumbard with a laugh. “Robotics and coding are the future. If you know how to program a robot, you’re not going to be scared by it.”