Robotics

Robotics programs are essential for preparing high school students for success in tomorrow’s world.

A student with robotics knowledge and strong technical skills will have a significant advantage in tomorrow’s job market—whether or not she plans to pursue a computer science degree in college.

If you want to learn more about what middle school robotics programs, and how they can help your student succeed, keep reading!

Robotics programs give students hands-on experience in applying essential Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) concepts to real-world problems.

Middle school students are introduced to procedural thinking, pattern recognition, and algorithm design to come up with a step-by-step strategy for solving a problem.

Students can learn how to program their own robots to move, make noise, light up, and follow other instructions as directed.

They learn to build robots that exhibit surprisingly lifelike behavior, responding to light, sound, and even temperature.

Students can program drones to engage in laser battles, use a robotic arm to pick up and put down certain objects or play with magnetic robot blocks to make an endless variety of robots with no programming at all.

Here at Carter-Riverside JROTC, students use VEX V5 robotics kits to invent self-driving vehicles, have robots competitively play tic-tac-toe in a 12' x 12' arena, and more.

Students can also participate in the construction and programming of robots designed to compete in the VRC, a global robotics competition for grades 7 - 12.

LEARN TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF TOMORROW

Today’s students are facing a future propelled by rapid technological change.

They need to learn how to adapt to the changing technological environment and solve complex problems that require perseverance and out-of-the-box thinking.

Robotics programs teach high school students how to approach these real-world problems in an innovative, yet systematic, way.

By building and programming robots, students learn how to channel their creativity and use it to create the best possible solution for a particular problem.

BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE IN TOMORROW’S JOB MARKET

Robotics programs can help students discover a passion for STEM fields, which are among the fastest-growing occupations.

Discovering an interest in STEM early in life could lead to rapid career advancement for your student later in life.

She will be able to begin her college career knowing she’s already ahead of many of her classmates, and focus on learning about advanced topics while they work on the basics.

However, all students with robotics knowledge will have an advantage in tomorrow’s job market—even if their chosen occupation has very little to do with STEM.

The advancement of technology (and the introduction of workplace robots) is changing the work environment.

As a result, basic robotics and engineering knowledge could soon become a requirement for jobs in non-STEM fields as well.

UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY

Robotics programs are not just for students who plan to pursue a career in the STEM fields.

Our STEM+ program aims to break down the barriers between traditional academic fields by focusing on projects that draw skills from multiple areas, including arts and humanities.

For example, students in our “Art and Technology: An Intersection” work on visual art projects that include a software and/or electronics hardware component.

Unfortunately, a large gender gap still exists in the STEM fields.

Girls who are interested in pursuing a STEM education continue to face many cultural barriers, along with a lack of role models.

Numerous studies have found that women in STEM fields publish less, are paid less for their research, and do not progress as far as men in their careers.

Robotics programs can help students explore STEM concepts in a stereotype-free environment in order to build the confidence they need to pursue a career in science and technology.

Here at Carter-Riverside JROTC, we are committed to showing our students the power of STEM and robotics education from an early age.

In addition to building and programming their own robots, our students can explore careers in STEM fields by interacting with the local engineering community and seeing the real-world applications of their newfound robotics knowledge.

Robotics programs are not just for students who plan to pursue a career in the STEM fields.

Our STEM+ program aims to break down the barriers between traditional academic fields by focusing on projects that draw skills from multiple areas, including arts and humanities.

For example, students in our “Art and Technology: An Intersection” work on visual art projects that include a software and/or electronics hardware component.