Short Summary
The mission of the HJSPG is to support proper education and to help to provide educational materials and programs for Holbrook students. This past year the HJSPG has partnered with the Holbrook Junior Senior High School (HJSHS) Science Department to enhance education at the high school level by providing the funding necessary to purchase a Vex-Robotics kit. Since purchasing this first kit the HJSPG has learned that there is a great need for more.
What We Need & What You Get
We are writing on behalf of the Holbrook Junior Senior Parent Group (HJSPG). The Town of Holbrook is a small town with limited resources.The Vex-Robotic kit provided by the HJSPG has been used to give students in engineering courses a cursory look at robotic technology. However, it is difficult to teach 25 students with one kit, especially with such a hands-on technology. One goal of the HJSHS Science Department is to have enough Vex-Robotics kits to allow groups of three or four students to work together on classroom projects. Depending upon the grade and course, projects could include using a robot to measure the length of a hall (which students would then verify by hand), or programming a robot to pick up pens and pencils while avoiding obstacles.
The ways in which robotic technology can be used to enhance core STEM technology concepts is virtually endless. This type of hands on technology motivates student engagement in the classroom while inspiring interest and participation in science and engineering. Students can gain an enhanced knowledge of math concepts and the scientific method while working on their communication, problem solving and team building skills. With robotics being one of the up and coming industries in the New England area, having exposure to basic science concepts through this technology will give students the edge they will need to help prepare for Engineering and Science careers.
Currently, the greatest impact of the Vex-Robotics kit purchased by the HJSPG is being made after school hours with the Holbrook Robotics Team. There are only about a dozen students in the program, but that number is slowly growing. This is in part due to the Team’s success in various competitions this fall, which in turn is being driven by the enthusiasm of the Team members. We’d like to continue spreading that wave of enthusiasm and to bring it into the classroom.
Coached and encouraged by Richard Monteith, a member of the HJSHS Science Department, students on the Holbrook Robotics Team have excelled. Indeed, some students are ready for higher levels of robotic technology. However, the Team does not have the supplies to allow them to grow. As more students have joined and parts have begun to wear out Mr. Monteith has had to find ways to supplement the meager tools and supplies that he has, sometimes paying for parts out of his own pocket or salvaging them from other robotic clubs.
If you‘d like additional information regarding Vex-Robotics or TETRIX technology you can visit these websites.
http://www.vexrobotics.com/
http://www.pitsco.com/Robotics/TETRIX
Thank you for taking the time to consider this request.
The Impact
A fundraising effort of $3000. will give the HJSPG the ability to purchase 6 Vex-Robotic kits, plus CAD software, for the HJSHS Science Department to be used both in the classroom and by the Holbrook Robotics Team. Along with these basic robot kits HJSPG would be able to purchase various part kits to both provide spare parts and to give more flexibility to teachers with unique project ideas and students with original design solutions. For the Holbrook Robotics Team members whose experience has outgrown the capabilities of the Vex-Robotic technology, HJSPG would be able to purchase the next level of robotic technology with one TETRIX robotics base kit and a few supplemental tools and supplies.
Other Ways You Can Help
Donation of new or unused tools for construction, small power tools or hand tools are also in demand. Gift cards to local Home Depot or Target would also be helpful for the wood and other supplies.
