Week 3 : Think of the Children
This week, while waiting for more and more parts to cook up, Josh, Maria, and I prepped for a visit to Chase Field. 2 weeks earlier Josh was contacted by the Arizona Diamondbacks to see if STEM (and in turn Robotics) to see if we would be interested in participating in a field trip day hosted by the Diamondbacks. The idea is to be able to give hundreds of kids a wide variety of attractions to explore and learn from, in our case it was on robotics with little dollops of the scientific process here and there.
After hoisting all of the equipment out the van and setting up in the low 90 degree arena, we set up the 2 robots we had brought to show the kids. Our main attraction was a Vex based ball launcher (seen to the left) Josh and one of the Robotics club members prepped the week prior. For the short time it was up kids were having a good time, but a motor problem decommissioned it before it got to see the full run of the event. As for the second piece brought, it was a standard Vex RC built of a RC Josh had procured at a Goodwill. With the big bot down, we had just the RC (which like the big guy was facing technical difficulties as well) but it was enough to keep the kids entertained. Because it was facing battery drain and overuse, I was able to turn the repairs for it into participative lectures for the kids where they would help me see if the RC was ready to drive or if it could be improved in anyway.
After hoisting all of the equipment out the van and setting up in the low 90 degree arena, we set up the 2 robots we had brought to show the kids. Our main attraction was a Vex based ball launcher (seen to the left) Josh and one of the Robotics club members prepped the week prior. For the short time it was up kids were having a good time, but a motor problem decommissioned it before it got to see the full run of the event. As for the second piece brought, it was a standard Vex RC built of a RC Josh had procured at a Goodwill. With the big bot down, we had just the RC (which like the big guy was facing technical difficulties as well) but it was enough to keep the kids entertained. Because it was facing battery drain and overuse, I was able to turn the repairs for it into participative lectures for the kids where they would help me see if the RC was ready to drive or if it could be improved in anyway.
Not to toot my own horn, but I ended up being the main sort of STEM spokesperson for the kids, but I wasn’t complaining either. Somewhere deep in my heart I wish I was an English Teacher like I wanted to be for so long, but luckily through the program I hope I inspire kids in the same way.
It sounds like it was an awesome event! I love that you just adapted when your robot began having issues. That's some of what science is all about. Why did you decide not to be an English teacher?
ReplyDeleteA major factor for any field is the ability to adapt to changing situations, and with how busy you usually end up, that is certainly a skill that you have mastered
ReplyDeleteI just want to mention how much I Shaq-ed that ball. I remember you telling me about the trip to the Diamondbacks field and how hectic it was with all the little kids terrorizing about. I was bummed to hear that Joshes bot broke after only 10 minutes of use.
ReplyDelete