When the school year began in August, students in China Spring High School’s new robotics program didn’t walk into a lab.
They walked into an old wood shop.
Before they could even begin designing their robot, the program’s 17 students had to build their workspace from the ground up — transforming the room into a functioning robotics lab complete with a competition ring, worktables and a media area.
“The students basically built everything you see,” said engineering teacher and robotics coach Brendan Smith.
It’s not how most programs start. And at first, expectations were modest.
But those expectations didn’t last long.
“Every time I’ve set a goal for us this year, those expectations are just shattered,” Smith said.
From learning to competing
Over the course of the year, China Spring’s three robotics teams began competing across the state — often against programs with years, or decades, of experience.
At the start, junior Jace Kent said the team wasn’t sure how it would stack up.
“We all said maybe one team might finish top ten,” Kent said. “And then it turns out we had two teams place top ten.”
That early success shifted the team’s mindset.
“It was just eye-opening … showing us that we were here to stay and we’re here to actually compete,” he said.
Now, Kent — who handles programming for his team — is part of the group representing China Spring at the UIL state robotics competition.
“We’re here to compete,” he said. “We’re here to do what we’re supposed to do.”
This year’s challenge: ‘robot basketball’
Each year, FIRST — an international youth robotics organization — releases a new engineering challenge.
This year’s task: build a robot capable of collecting and shooting small balls into a target, something Smith describes as “robot basketball.”
“The goal is to collect as many as you can and score them in the target — you get points for every basket that you make,” Smith said.
The competition is fast-paced and highly technical. Robots must first operate autonomously for 30 seconds, relying entirely on code written by students before teams can take control.
“It’s quick and exciting,” Smith said. “And then you do it again.”
While every team receives the same challenge, how they solve it is entirely up to them.
“It’s not like Lego kits,” Kent said. “It’s, ‘Here’s a problem, how do you solve it?’”
More than just robots
For Smith, the goal of the program goes far beyond competition.
“We’re not building robots,” he said. “We’re using this robot as a vehicle for development.”
That development includes problem-solving, teamwork and communication — skills Smith says are critical no matter what path students choose after high school.
Students must learn how to collaborate, advocate for their ideas and adapt when things don’t go as planned. And do it effectively under tight deadlines.
Looking ahead
No matter how the team performs at state, Smith says the program has already been a success.
“I don’t know where this program is headed, but I know where it started,” he said.
As the program continues to grow, he hopes to build stronger connections with the community — including partnerships with local businesses and professionals who can help mentor students and expose them to real-world applications of engineering and technology.
Got a tip? Email Molly-Jo Tilton at Molly-jo_tilton@baylor.edu.
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