Students build robots

From left, Ellie Burnett, Thomas Dore, Katie Merchat, Josh Merchat, Kaleb Steed and Matthew Jackson, members of the Kaiserslautern High School Robotics Club, pose for a photo during the first Technology Challenge, a competition held recently in Vilsek, Germany.
From left, Ellie Burnett, Thomas Dore, Katie Merchat, Josh Merchat, Kaleb Steed and Matthew Jackson, members of the Kaiserslautern High School Robotics Club, pose for a photo during the first Technology Challenge, a competition held recently in Vilsek, Germany.

Since September, the Kaiserslautern High School Robotics Club was busy designing, building and testing robots they created. Recently, the club entered these robots in the first Technology Challenge, a competition held in Vilsek, Germany. Through this event, students learned valuable 21st century skills of collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking as they applied STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concepts to the design challenge.

The team would like to thank the KHS PTSO, the Ramstein Officers’ Spouses Club, and the KMC Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association for supporting them along the way. Also, they would like to thank the Technische Universität Kaiserlsautern robotic’s lab for allowing them to visit their lab and loaning them some start-up kits. Finally, thanks to the other teams at the tournament who shared their knowledge and expertise with us both during and before game day. You all truly embodied the term gracious professionalism.

The team is especially excited about applying the things they learned to next year’s competition. During the off season, the team will be practicing by building bots for specific homemade challenges and soliciting volunteer mentors for next year’s build season.

If you would be interested in finding out more information about the club or volunteer some time as a mentor, contact the club sponsor at christopher.putnam@eu.dodea.edu.

(by Christopher Putnam, club sponsor)