Hundreds of students across Harris County and their robotics teachers attended the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment’s (CASE for Kids) 2024 All-Earth Ecobot Challenge Reveal and first practice day on Jan. 27 at HCDE’s Irvington Office.

The challenge is an innovative engineering competition for fourth- through eighth-grade students that brings together problem-solving, critical thinking and formulating solutions to real-world issues. Teams use LEGO Education robotic kits to construct robots and navigate a STEM-based challenge with real-world environmental scenarios. 

This year’s theme for the challenge is “Water, The Next Oil.” 

“Water is a finite resource around the world that we need to protect, preserve and conserve the same way that we do air,” said Joe Paneitz, All-Earth Ecobot Challenge curriculum director and game designer also affectionately known as ‘Robo Joe.’ “We need it to live and today, you and I may have been able to wake up, turn the water faucet on and that was easy. For others around the world, that’s not so easy.”

The prompt hopes to encourage students to see water as both essential and a commodity – similarly to oil – and find smart ways to manage it. The competition is showcasing how robots have become vital in exploring and managing water, and ultimately solving water-related challenges through robotics. 

“It’s important to get kids at an early age because this is going to impact their future more than yours or mine,” Paneitz said. “Who knows what they’re going to be facing when it comes to water issues 40 or 50 years from now. So, if we start having them think now about what those issues are, then we’re going to have a much better chance to solving these problems or even preventing these problems.” 

During the practice, students grouped into teams worked with their teachers serving as coaches. They learned strategies and tips for their projects in addition to the rules and scoring system of the challenge. 

Teams were also given the opportunity to practice with their own robots on the game tables to help formulate strategies and handle challenge tasks. The challenge game board will include several pieces and figures, from ping pong balls to miniature animals, to help simulate the real-life situations. 

“We want them to leave here with confidence,” said Lindsey Burenheide, CASE for Kids project coordinator. “They feel good about their robot, they feel good about being able to set up their tables and they feel good about coming to the next practice day ready to learn more.” 

Challenges include monitoring and analyzing water, inspecting and repairing pipeline infrastructure, handling wastewater and focusing on search and rescue operations over water. 

“This year is going to be really cool because we get to learn new things and enhance our memories,” said Mason Covington, a sixth-grade student at Beatrice Mayes Institute Charter School and challenge participant. “It makes you think, ‘Why am I taking water for granted?’ Other people aren’t using the same water I use. So, people could recycle water or not use as much of it.” 

A second practice day is scheduled for Feb. 17 back at the Irvington conference center, and the 2024 All-Earth Ecobot Challenge Day is set for April 20 at a location to be determined.

For more information about the All-Earth Ecobot Challenge, visit http://EcobotChallenge.com/.