Abhay Malik ’17, Ed Zhao ’17: EA’s Development Robotics team, known as the FIRST Robotics Team 2095, and Leslie Trimble, Upper School Science teacher, have joined Episcopal’s partnership with ACLAMO this winter. Trimble, with several students from the Winter Wellness program, teaches the students at ACLAMO about biology, specifically botany, while the Robotics team teaches robotics. The goal of both groups is to give these children an opportunity to learn and do something that they might not otherwise be able to do.
The mission of the First Robotics Competition, the competition in which EA’s Robotics team competes, is to “inspire young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills…that foster well-rounded life capabilities.” Focusing on this mission, Linda Lew, Middle School teacher at Episcopal Academy, spoke with Susan Swanson, Director of Community Service, and together they were able to send eight members of Team 2095 to mentor young children at ACLAMO for a total of 6 weeks.
For the first three weeks, Episcopal students worked with younger children ranging from third to fifth grade, and in the final three weeks, they will work with middle school students. During these three-week sessions, the students at ACLAMO have the opportunity to build and program their robot. “They rush through their homework so they can work on the robotics. This program is a matter of great pride for them,” said Marla Benssy, ACLAMO’s Director of Adult Education and School Age Programs.
At the end of the session, the kids race their robots and complete various tasks using the programming skills they have acquired. “Our students have never been more excited about anything,” continued Benssy.
Stephana Lim ’18 said, “It’s really nice to see those children improving day by day.” Lim commended both programs, saying, “Community service is a great thing to do. I can help other people while I improve myself and experience so many different people.”
Similar to the Robotics Team, Trimble has been striving to broaden and expand young children’s interests and horizons in science. Trimble has been visiting ACLAMO for several weeks, coming with new activities and plants every time. Projects range from dissecting plants to creating terrariums with vegetation grown from the EA greenhouse. The ACLAMO students grew the plants and returned the next day to see amazing changes that had taken place.
“They just get so into it with their hand lens and they’re just looking at it! It is…really gratifying because it just opens up a whole world to them…I wish I could find a way to bring microscopes and other equipment along,” said Trimble. This science and robotics program has been visiting ACLAMO every week since the start of the winter season. The program will continue during the spring season with a new group of Wellness students.
Lew concluded that the partnership “has been a wonderful learning experience for both the students at Episcopal and ACLAMO.”