Gears were turning and ideas were sparking as Harris County Department of Education’s Special Schools students participated in a hands-on STEM adventure that brought learning to life, one robot at a time.
On July 10, nearly 30 students put their knowledge to the test as Academic and Behavior School (ABS) East hosted the All-Earth Ecobot Challenge in conjunction with the Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids. The competition allows students to build, program and pilot LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 robots through a series of dynamic missions.
Special needs students started collaborating to build their robots when they reported for the first day of the extended school year. The curriculum demonstrates how to earn points by guiding robots through four obstacle-filled missions judged on speed, navigation and defense.
Ecobot is more than robot races. It’s an opportunity for students to practice social-emotional skills, like managing frustrations, staying calm under pressure and working together. The challenge also helps students like Anthony Broussard strengthen critical life skills such as problem-solving, patience and creative thinking.
“When the robot gets too far, it may lose connection to the Wi-Fi, and you have to get close again before you lose control,” said the incoming fourth grader from ABS West. “I was also bumping into the cones on the course, so I had to make the robot go slow and steady to get to the end.”
Added CASE for Kids Project Coordinator Janie Bostic-Gibson: “I’m impressed with the level of enthusiasm that we are seeing. This is an amazing opportunity for our Special Schools students. They have the skills, they have the expertise and the knowledge as well, and we are seeing them soar as they code and navigate these robotic challenges.”
When the scores were tallied, ABS East claimed victory securing first and second place while ABS West rounded out the leaderboard with a strong third place finish.
The friendly competition sparked excitement and pride across campuses, with students cheering each other on as they watched their hard work come to life on the challenge course. With students powered up, dialed in and coding like pros, one thing is sure – this summer’s Ecobot Challenge was a mission accomplished.
For more information about the All-Earth Ecobot Challenge, visit http://EcobotChallenge.com/.