It's not uncommon to walk down the hallways of our school and see small, robotic vehicles cruising the halls. If you aren't careful enough, you may get hit by a marshmallow launching out of a marshmallow shooter, created by students. Amanda Brundage, STEM teacher, is the first STEM teacher in the district. Using "Project Lead the Way" curriculum and other resources, she continually challenges students to use their problem-solving skills in relation to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The district even purchased a 3-D printer allowing students to print their projects.
Two seniors, in particular, are making their mark in the STEM program. Seniors Logan Hershberger and Tristan Hankins have created the first moving, programmed vehicles. Both students are taking the STEM course as an independent studies course. Brundag
e regularly meets with the students to discuss their creation. Brundage says, "Sometimes the goal is to create something to solve a problem, but sometimes the goal is just to satisfy curiosity.
We discuss materials, timelines, goals, troubleshooting, and future or past connections."
Hershberger and Hankins are both pursuing engineering at YSU next year. Hershberger is currently working on building and programming aVEX Robotics vehicle that can travel a particular path while completing a task. He is in the process of writing the computer code for his assignment. In addition, Hershberger has designed and built previous vehicles for speed and torque, but this is his first programmed vehicle.
Hankins achieved his first goal this school year which was creating a vehicle that would move using either walking or crawling motion. The idea was to move the vehicle without wheels. Hankins researched, designed, and programmed his project and it was an absolute success. He is now working on creating a balanced vehicle that runs on two wheels. Hankins is utilizing a chain-drive mechanism and motor to propel the vehicle. Brundage states that "both student are intrinsically motivated students who are constantly finding a way to challenge themselves."