Wheaton-Warrenville South High School Robotics Club
Teacher(s) - Matt Scheffler
School(s) - Wheaton-Warrenville South High School
Grade(s) - 9th - 12th
Goal / Objective - For student to collaborate and experience working in an engineering settings. Students planned out solutions to problems, attempted their solutions and revised their thinking throughout the learning process.
Impact - This year’s season has concluded with a great level of success. Our team competed in two regional qualifiers this year. Our team made it to the semi-final matches at the Batavia qualifying tournament, but unfortunately did not qualify to move on to the state tournament. The project was ultimately a success. Students were given the opportunity to design, build, program and operate their robot. They made changes throughout the season to their design when needed. The students worked in a collaborative environment. With the additional funds provided by the NEW 200 grant, we were able to open our club to freshman and sophomore students for the first time. Typically the robotics club has been for junior and senior students.
This project gave students an opportunity that is not available during the regular school day. The students were able to use their science, math, and technology learning in a competitive, collaborative environment. Over 50 students attended robotics meetings throughout the year. For the first time ever, we opened the club to freshman and sophomore students. Not only did WWS students benefit from this award. Our team just recently led robotics classes at the Wiesbrook and Madison Explore More Days to over 150 elementary students. Our team also hosted a “Robotics Night” at the Chick-Fil-A in Wheaton where students were given the opportunity to test drive the robot and build a craft.
The most significant achievement of our project was the daily successes made by the students. Each day the kids came in excited and motivated to design, build, program and operate the robot. The kids learned from their mistakes and their successes. The students hard work and effort was rewarded as they were able to build a robot that placed in the top 10 at the Batavia regional qualifying tournament.
Do you know a Community School District 200 educator who would like to apply for a Student Excellence Grant? The Foundation offers a Fall and a Spring grant cycle each year. Please feel free to share information regarding grant procedures with any District 200 educator. Classroom teachers, administrators, LLC Directors: any staff member with student contact is eligible to apply!
To read about other grants that have been provided to educators, click here.
