With a growing number of jobs being created in the robotics field, the Massapequa School District is doing its part to prepare students for career opportunities.
About 20 seventh- through ninth-graders participated in a Robotics Camp at Berner Middle School from Aug. 8-11. Students used Lego kits and computers to build and program their robots, with the support of camp director Brian Vanek, a high school technology teacher.
“I just want them to enjoy it and get excited about doing robotics,” Vanek said, adding that the students were given much freedom to design, build, program and test their robots. That structure allowed them to work in teams and develop their problem-solving skills.
One of the highlights of the week was the Battlebots competition in which students built their own robots and tested them against each other in a ring.
Lucas Tonello, who will enter ninth grade at Massapequa High School’s Ames Campus, said he would consider robotics as a possible career. It was his third year participating in the summer camp. “Here you can be creative with what you build,” he said. “I like building stuff and tinkering and programming.”
Massapequa offers robotics as part of seventh- and eighth-grade technology classes along with dedicated courses at the high school. Berner Middle School also has an after-school robotics club in which students participate in the FIRST Lego League competition with other schools on Long Island.
