Not Your Average Final: Auburn Students Test Robots for Final

Not your average final: Auburn students test robots in engineering class

Carrie Chantler | carrie.chantler@lee.net

Hanging out in the high school gym on a Saturday making robots drop small balls into baskets might look like play, but for some students, shooting those kind of hoops was an engineering class final.

The Auburn High School Technology Department Robot Competition brought 16 robots and their creators to a 12 by 12 course, fashioned by teacher Bill Gilmore, where 44 small green and orange balls were meant to land in various baskets no taller than two feet.

Students in Gilmore's Real World Technology class spent six months building the robots that stood about 18 inches, but expanded to 3 feet or beyond. They also pivoted, turned, tipped over and tipped back up all the while grasping or deflecting, in offensive or defensive moves.

"Six months ago none of us knew anything about robots," said Nick Mitchell, 18.

Since seventh grade senior Madelyn Arnold, the only woman in the class, has been interested in engineering. For the last four years, she's enrolled in the Lead The Way program sponsored through the Rochester Institute of Technology.

"(The guys) don't expect me to keep up with them, they make jokes and comments, " she said. "But I can keep up."

Somewhat bored by math class, Madelyn's interest in problem-solving is sparked in engineering class.

"If you're building a bridge I can see why trig is handy," she said.

Gilmore designed his class so students can apply their math skills to the test in a practical environment.

"This is designed to get the students to work on real world applications of what they've learned," Gilmore said. "The theories, formulas, math behind everything, I wanted to give them an outlet for that."

Comprehension of simple machines, such as the wheel and the lever, that student's have learned about since elementary school is taken to a higher level in the class, Gilmore said.

"I would like to introduce robots into all the technology curriculum because it's what kids are doing," Gilmore said.

"They're writing programming code, while others learn tools to create a final project. All of a sudden it's a real application of their math. It becomes real, quick and all of a sudden they're interested," he said.

Morning qualifying rounds determined the seeded field students would then pick teammates from to finish the day-long robot competition in team play.

Gilmore wasn't just grading his students on robot efficacy or how many baskets each team made, but sportsmanship, too.

"They do have to work with other students as well," Gilmore said.

A $9,000 grant from the Allyn Foundation administered by the Auburn Education Foundation plus about $7,000 from the district paid for all of the VEX parts, gears, connectors, wheels, motors needed to build the robots.

Gilmore's class provided students with the opportunity to combine math theory with hands-on practical mechanical applications while hardly feeling like they were accomplishing school work.

"Instead of doing work, we show up, build things, it's hands-on, it's fun, it doesn't really feel like work," said senior Brandon Malone, 18. "Definitely the best final I've had all year, for sure."

Staff writer Carrie Chantler can be reached at (315) 282-2244 or carrie.chantler@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @CitizenChantler.