NorKam Senior Secondary’s Robotics Program is Supported by a Grant from New Gold Inc.
Robotics programming furthers our District mission to provide students with learning opportunities and environments which inspire them to thrive. We are excited to share the story of NorKam Senior Secondary’s grant supporting the robotics program.
On August 22, 2023, NorKam Senior Secondary’s Technology Teacher, Dewald van der Merwe, received an $8,060 cheque from New Gold Inc. which will support the students’ robotics program. This funding was secured through NorKam’s successful application to New Gold Inc.’s Community Investment Program.
Dewald explained, “This funding will significantly enhance our students' learning experiences and open up exciting opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics(STEM).”
Specifically, this donation from New Gold Inc. will enable Dewald to acquire a comprehensive set of VEX robotics kits designed for a classroom setting, accommodating 18-22 students per session. These cutting-edge kits open doors for students with no prior robotics experience to effortlessly construct their inaugural robot. The kits boast a diverse array of supplementary components, granting students the creative freedom to manifest their imaginative concepts as they embark on their learning journey.
Among the intriguing classroom activities, a standout challenge calls students to engineer autonomous bots reminiscent of those found within Amazon's warehouses. These ingenious creations are tasked with mastering package retrieval and precise delivery to predetermined destinations. The important parts of these activities lies in nurturing design principles, compelling students to delve into problem analysis, conceptualize solutions, meticulously plan and prototype, rigorously test their creations, refine designs, and subject prototypes to iterative testing. This rigorous regimen mirrors the essential processes involved with encompassing design, engineering, science, and technology, thus fostering invaluable skills for students.
Integral to this endeavor is the pivotal role of coding. The fusion of coding and robotics is the anchor allowing these robots to exercise their intended functionalities.Without the critical lines of code, the envisioned operations would remain unrealized. This synthesis of hands-on construction and coding mastery cultivates a skill set with far-reaching implications. Students are primed for an array of STEM careers, spanning software, electrical, and mechanical engineering, computer science, medical technology, and a myriad of other enticing pathways.
In the 2022-2027 District Strategic Plan, one priority is Intellectual Development– to further students’ educational opportunities to strengthen literacy and numeracy, and their competencies such as critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation, which are needed for them to further their careers in STEM (Science Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). Robotics programming is foundational to STEM education, and this funding will serve to support educators to empower our young minds to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
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