Brainy Sharks
WMS students expand their minds with underwater robotics program
Combine electronics, PVC, a pool and six to eight students at Washington Middle School and you get a team of fifth- and sixth-graders crafting and creating a remotely operated vehicle for their annual underwater robotics competitions.
Although the annual competition the WMS Eldo ShARks prepared for, MATE [Marine Advanced Technology Education] Northern Gulf Coast Regional ROV, was canceled March 10 due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, the team has still grown in its designs and skills in its four years in operation.
Michael Herren, adviser for the Eldo ShARks and cinematography/robotics/STEAM teacher at WMS, said he started the program. He said the team originally started with volunteers and strict use of PVC for their ROV [remotely operated vehicle].
“There were mistakes made, I used the wrong size PVC with them,” Herren said. “We came back next year and said, why don’t we think of something that’s not PVC.”
That’s when the team started using recyclable materials, like old fans or two-liter coke bottles, like they did this year — two members of the team, sixth-grader Hollis Johnson and fifth-grader Victor Marquez, even made a video demonstrating how they used the bottles to make ROV motor shrouds, which protect the propeller.
Sixth grader Ruqaya Ali said the team also used PVC this year.
However, the ROV the team made that was close to competition wasn’t its only design — it was the second for the 2019-2020 school year. The first, which looked a little like a clam and was scrapped due to its lack of sturdiness, was made out of Halloween candy bowls and some other materials, 5th grader Landon Parks said.
“If I remember correctly, we weren’t able to get the motors in very (well),” Parks said.
Parks said everyone on the team drew their own designs at the beginning of the year based on an introduction video from MATE.
Johnson said when it comes to building the ROV, everyone works together.
“We each have kind of separate jobs, depending on what parts of the competition we’re going to do, what parts of the job we’re going to split up,” he said. “Mostly we split the work evenly about the building of the ROV.”
“I decided I should probably find something I wanted to do in adulthood,” she said. “Math comes to me pretty easy and I have a lot of time, so I might as well do something.” — — Brisa Brisa Reyes, Reyes, sixth-grader sixth-grader Washington Washington Middle Middle
Herren said the power tools are usually left to him, though.
Herren also said the team discussed redoing the electronics for this year’s ROV, but found some from a previous year that had not yet been used. In an effort to save time, that’s what the shARks would’ve used.
However, the team does have the skills to build the electronics themselves. Herren said before anyone joins the team, they have to go through a few weeks of tryouts where they learn and are tested on electronics, science, math and any other skills they need to aid in the competition.
He also said the contests go beyond actually building a functioning ROV — during competitions, the team must guide their ROV through challenges and obstacles. Last year, teams had to bring a water sample from the bottom of a pool and test the pH balance.
“A lot of the tasks they do are based on real-life scenarios,” Herren said.
Many of the members joined the team because they like math, numbers, science and building. The majority of them said they like to build things like robots or buildings at home, and many of them use Minecraft to explore ideas virtually.
Sixth grader Brisa Reyes said she joined as a fifth-grader because she’s looking ahead.
“I decided I should probably find something I wanted to do in adulthood,” she said. “Math comes to me pretty easy and I have a lot of time, so I might as well do something.”
However, this is only one of many STEM related programs at WMS. Others include the VEX IQ Robotics team, which made it to state competition, cinematography, a maker lab and more.
In 2018, Washington Middle School was pronounced the winner of the Future of Educational Technology Conference STEM School of Excellence Award. When the award was presented, WMS staff members presented on some of the programs at the school.
In 2017, the school was one of four in the world that received the STEM Excellence Award at the international STEM Expo in Branson, Missouri. The award honors schools that have implemented “a comprehensive integrated STEM education program at very high levels or have made significant progress or significant strides in achievement through implementation of comprehensive STEM programs.”
According to the George Lucas Educational Foundation, project-based learning has been show to improve students’ understanding of science, problem-solving and collaboration skills.
The United States has made STEM programs and curriculum an essential part of education over the years to help students’ problem-solving skills, ability to comprehend information and gather and evaluate information to make a decision.
Mir Ali, Raqaya’s father, said Raqaya is his third child to go through the program, and that the program is an important opportunity for students.
“This is a great platform to give these kids going into junior high, as well as going to all the state championships and all that,” he said. “What the school district is offering…we’re blessed to have it.”