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TRUE Robotics

Writer's pictureVanessa Mahoney

STEM Week: A Recap of Hands-On Robotics Workshops, Competitions, and Interactive Events in Massachusetts

STEM Week brought a full schedule of hands-on robotics workshops, competitions, and interactive events across Massachusetts. From helping Girl Scouts earn their robotics badges to navigating mazes at the Basketball Hall of Fame, we inspired students of all ages to think, build, and code like engineers. Here’s a recap of our exciting week. 

 

Saturday, October 19 

STEM Week started strong with an exciting event for the Girls Scouts of Grafton, helping them earn their robotics badges.    

  • Morning Workshop (K-2): The girls started the workshop learning about robots, coding, and what it takes to be an engineer.  They used game controllers to navigate Pilot robots, finishing with a series of friendly races.  The workshop wrapped up with a creative activity where everyone designed their own robots to complete a task of their choice. 

  • Afternoon Workshop (Grades 6+): Older students too on the added challenge of building and deconstructing the Pilot robot themselves.  They participated in the same navigation and racing challenge, developing a deeper understanding of robot mechanics. 

By the end, all participants had earned their robotics badges!  Congratulations! 


 

Tuesday, October 22 

At the Blackstone Valley Hub for Workforce Development, we held a two-hour robotics competition workshop.   

  • Coding Lessons: Students were taught how to use different blocks of code to make their Pilot robots move. 

  • Coding Challenges:  Participants used this newfound knowledge to make Pilot move in a square, refining their code to get sharper angles. 


Engineering Design for Robot Soccer:  After the coding challenges, they used engineering design principles to modify their robots for a 1-on-1 soccer match, testing and adjusting attachments for optimal performance.   The evening ended with a thrilling series of robot soccer matches! 


 

Wednesday, October 23  

At the Basketball Hall of Fame, we participated in the Mass Makes Innovation Challenge, programming robots to navigate a maze that simulated real-world manufacturing processes.  

This exciting workshop emphasized various learning outcomes, including: 

  • Trial and error in programming 

  • Precision for successful navigation and task completion 

  • Problem-solving skills similar to those used by engineers on production lines

     

The experience gave students a practical look at the programming and planning involved in modern manufacturing.


 

Friday, October 25 

We wrapped up STEM Week at the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester’s Family STEM Night.  Students of all ages interacted with our Axle and Pilot robots, along with fan-favorite robot dog, Fido.  The event was full of hands-on discover, sparking curiosity and excitement in STEM among families and younger learners alike. 


 

STEM Week was a fantastic opportunity to connect students with robotics spark interest in engineering and programming.  That's what STEM Week is really all about.  We’re already looking forward to the exciting events next year’s STEM Week will bring! 

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