Loveland’s robotics programs provide students with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in both the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and marketing fields while helping the community and having a great time. Loveland High School offers two robotics programs, VEX and FIRST Tech Challenge, and while both programs are different, they each give participants the opportunity to learn about and apply STEM through learning how to build and program robots.
Loveland’s VEX Robotics teams focus on building and programming a robot to use at competitions. These teams consist of up to 5 members, and each team will build a robot to compete in the year’s game. This year’s game is Spin Up, which requires teams to build a robot that can shoot discs into frisbee golf-style goals to score points while working with and competing against other teams to achieve the highest score. Loveland currently has 3 of these teams, and each takes a different approach to solving the problems that the game presents, leading each team to ultimately end up with a unique robot.
Loveland also has 2 FIRST Tech Challenge robotics teams, which build robots like VEX teams do, but also learn about marketing and volunteer with the community to spread STEM. FTC teams are commonly divided into 3 sub-teams, build, programming, and business, with each focusing on a different aspect of the team. While the build team designs and builds the robot, the programming team codes it and makes it work, and the business team plans community outreach events and plans meetings with professionals in relevant fields while developing a team brand. FTC teams meet with professionals to learn not only how to improve their robot, but also about the fields of robotics and business as a whole; the teams have met with companies including Denso Robotics, GE Aviation, and Procter & Gamble. They also organize and work at community events to spread STEM, often running workshops, booths at events, and robot demonstrations, all to encourage younger generations to get involved in robotics and to teach older generations about it. For this year’s game, “Power Play,” teams will build robots to place cones on top of towers to earn points while competing with and against other teams to score the highest. Both of Loveland’s FTC teams are world-ranked, as last year, team “Nuts and Bolts” placed second in the state of Ohio, and “The Bionic Tigers” qualified for the world championships. Luke Blaker (12), team lead for “The Bionic Tigers” said that "FTC is special because it provides a unique experience in which you learn teamwork, are prepared for real-world jobs, and everyone has a chance to succeed in one way or another,” and that “ you'll struggle to find this environment in any other extracurricular."
Both programs give participants ever more important skills in STEM, teaching them skills in programming, 3D design, marketing, and much more. These students will be well-equipped to pursue future careers in STEM and marketing, while having a blast with their friends.
If you’d like to get involved, you can apply to join either program in the spring. You can look at lovelandrobotics.wixsite.com/home/apply for more information on applications.