Junior Charlie White and sophomores Ian Collins, Dylan Gavron and Sydney Gregg discuss their popsicle structures in Robotics class. Science department teacher William Swain is hopeful that the new course will allow students to step out of their academic comfort zones. “What’s is exciting is students having a passion and being able to apply what they know into that that’s why I want to give them that freedom because I’m excited to see what our students have hidden inside of them,” Swain said.
By TIERNAN O’NEILL – Editor-in-cheif
Starting this school year, Clarke Central High School added a Robotics class to its course catalogue.
Clarke Central High School’s curriculum was expanded this year with the addition of a new science elective, Robotics. Prior to the class’ offering, CCHS had an award-winning robotics club sponsored by science department teacher William Swain.
In addition to sponsoring the club, Swain leads a sixth block Robotics class with hopes of fostering students’ ingenuity. The class’ first assignment was to simply build a structure out of popsicle sticks,but the projects will increase in difficulty as year goes on.
“We want (students) to have an outlet or an opportunity to take the knowledge that they have and actually apply it,” Swain said. “You’ve got to come up with something, it really gives them an opportunity to create, which is the whole concept for the class, for them to create.”
Swain plans to challenge students’ abilities with loose assignment frameworks and open-ended questions. Throughout the year, the class will create everything from eco-friendly cell phone chargers to robots that work underwater.
“We’re promoting engineering and then we’re going to get into building robotics,” Swain said. “There’s some freedom (in the course) and that’s what we’re looking at, as far as saying, ‘You have to do this, this and this.’ There are some projects that you’ll have to do, but there are some projects you can trade out.”
Sophomore Sydney Gregg appreciates the creative freedom the class allows.
“I did (the club) last year, and I really liked it, so I wanted to do it again, but when I first signed up, it was because all of my friends signed up, too,” Gregg said. “It’s been really fun and I think I’m going to enjoy it all year.”
The inaugural class has 27 students from all four grade levels, but in the future Swain sees the class being offered only to upperclassmen.
“I think we will see more out of students that are 11th and 12th graders. I will be getting with the guidance counselors and we’re looking to make it an 11th-12th grade class, because if you’re in the ninth grade you haven’t had any high school science or math opportunities,” Swain said.
