SECME members on a mission to build robots

SECME members on a mission to build robots
By JASON PARSLEY | Forum Publishing Group
November 26, 2008

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/community/news/royal_palm/sfl-flrpfrobot1126rpfnov26,0,4093472.story

Seminole Ridge High School seniors Madelyn Gapko and Nadia Beni both like hands-on projects, and that is why they decided to join the newly formed Science, Engineering, Communications and Mathematics club at the school, 4601 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road, in Loxahatchee.

The SECME Club allows students to apply what they learn in classes like physics to the real world. So far it has attracted about 60 members.

"It's a good way for me to learn," Gapko said.

While Beni added, "[The hands-on] is mostly what we do, but it's the best part."

The club recently had a movie afternoon to raise funds to purchase at least one Vex Robotics Design System kit so students will have the opportunity to build actual robots.

"This isn't here's a Lego kit, lets see if we can build something," said Erich Landstrom, SECME school coordinator and physics teacher. Over the summer he was introduced to the starter kit and said, "We literally went from a box of parts to two hours later we had built a radio-controlled robot."

Landstrom said he is excited to add the robotics component to the club.

"This is definitely something I want the Seminole Hawks to do," he said.

But first the club needs to raise the money to purchase the $700 kit. The club's next fundraiser will be another movie afternoon in January.

With the kit Landstom said he hopes that his students will be able to enter a robotics competition next year. This year's competition will ask students to build a robot that is able to travel up a ramp and be able to operate independently and by user control.

"My hope, my goal would be to go to the national competition," he said.

So far the club has designed and launched a film-canister model rocket, and constructed a spaghetti bridge from pasta and mini marshmallows.

Call 561-422-2600 for more information.