Robotic Brain Power

Lon Stephenson (CAD), Chuck Sulzen (Pre-Engineering), Brian Gay (Auto Tech) in cooperation with Raji Prakash (Physics)

• $3,012 — Purchase three laptop computers to equip students in forming competitive robotics teams, as well as to support instruction in the CAD, Pre-Engineering, and Auto Tech classes.
• Impacts 150 students per year in grades 9-12 in technology classes; also teams of students on robotics teams for three to five years.
• Enhances students’ educations with practical applications in multiple curricular areas--Science, Computer Science, Math and Technology.

 Robotics Team:

• Laptops will enable East to take part in robotics competitions, including the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition at the American Royal Hale Arena in March, 2008.  FIRST seeks to make applying science and technology as cool as sports to students.
• The Kauffman Foundation will supply software and materials to encourage inventiveness, resourcefulness, and self-confidence in students.
• Volunteer engineers from the community will assist, offering our students valuable community mentors.
• The team(s) will be coached by Physics Teacher Raji Prakash, with help from Lon Stephenson (CAD), Chuck Sulzen (Pre-Engineering), and Brian Gay (Auto Tech).
• Teams form in Fall, 2007; competition begins Spring 2008.
• Students will compete against teams from over 30 area high schools.
• The robotics program may start small, but it will be highly promoted and participation is expected to be strong in coming years.

Instructional Support:

• CAD (Computer-Aided Drafting) – students’ digital projects such as house plans, assembly drawings, and animations will be loaded on one of the laptops. This allows the projects to be shared with others.  Also, mark-up software will be loaded that allows the teacher to make comments on an overlay that doesn’t alter the student’s work.  Portability will allow faster turnaround of graded projects as the teacher will be able to grade at home or while on hall duty.
• Pre-Engineering – students’ power point assignments, graphic collages, and text documents will be downloaded on one of the laptops for faster turnaround of graded projects as the teacher will be able to grade at home or while on hall duty.
• Auto Tech – one laptop will be used in the shop to demonstrate individual students’ techniques of soldering, servicing autos, and performing detailed operations.  Work done at the teacher’s home shop may be recorded and brought back to school to share with students.

Grant awarded September 2007