By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
What do Lego robots and go-green shopping bags have in common?
For students in Waterford Graded School District, it’s the Project Clearwater first Lego League competition entry this year – one that’s carried the 10-person team through the first round of competition.
Working through the Waterford Recreation Department, Waterford students fielded a pair of teams this year – Project Clearwater and the Waste Wizards.
Both competed in regional competition Nov. 7, with Project Clearwater advancing.
Sectional competition is Saturday in Mukwonago.
The idea of the program? To get students to explore all solutions to a set problem, working with but not relying on adults to not only construct a robot that completes tasks, but find a solution for a real-world problem.
“I see the value in the program,” said Dan Bowser, who began coaching the teams when his own children were involved, and is now working to transition the coaching job to teachers within Waterford Graded School District.
“I enjoy seeing the kids learn,” he said. “It’s addictive because the kids have so much fun with it, and they get so excited.”
Students work on two separate components to their team’s score. The first is building a programmable robot – using pre-programmed modules that allow students to set the robot to react to variables such as color or obstacles.
The robot is then placed on a 4-foot by 8-foot table, and is given three rounds at 2-and-a-half minutes each to complete as much of the course as possible.
This year’s theme is “Trash Trek,” with robots having to collect various recyclables and return them to various parts of the table.
But the other component is just as important – the creation of a project to address a real-world issue. Each of Waterford’s teams came up with a new take on recycling.
Project Clearwater created the “take a bag, leave a bag” initiative at the Waterford Pick ‘n Save store. Cloth bags are available for those who don’t bring their own, so plastic bags won’t be used.
Customers then either return them, or bring bags in the next time. The group is also working to get its own bags printed and placed at the store.
The program debuted Nov. 15.
The Waste Wizards, meanwhile, found out that Evergreen Elementary only recycled paper, and worked to create a “basketball hoop” of recycling, so students would find it fun to recycle.
Of course, as much fun as the projects are, students are definitely “digging” the robots – and the practical application of the lessons.
“I’m really interested in programming stuff,” said Hannah Mabert, a fifth grader at Woodfield Elementary and a member of Project Clearwater.
Added Jake Dros, “I just have a strange obsession with Legos, programming and robots.”
That kind of enthusiasm is what has the newcomers to the coaching team so excited.
“They’ve definitely learning collaboration skills, which is huge,” said first-year coach Brad Singer. “There’s a lot of science to what they’re doing, and there’s a lot of mathematics.
“You think about 21st century skills … it’s all within this program,” he added.
Here is a list of the respective team members:
Project Clearwater Team
Francesca Brague, Zhenya Scheu, Jake Dros, Dane Edwards, Ethan Lundberg, Jacob Lichey, Hannah Mabert, Joey Mazurek, Jack Schumacher, Morgan Lundberg.
Waste Wizards Team
Ryan Colligan, Andrew Webb, Eli Gadbury, Cody Germait, Alec Kanter, Joe Runte, Devyn Tyacke, Justin Tyger, Noah Tyacke, Carson Gaylord
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