Submitted on behalf of Huntsville High School (HHS):
“We don’t build robots, we build students,” says Ian McTavish, teacher and founder of HHS renowned Hoyas Robotics team.
Since the team’s creation in 2012, Huntsville has been a hub for robotics education. Local elementary schools began incorporating Lego robotics by 2015, and by 2019, HHS hosted a For Inspiration and Recognition Of Science and Technology (FIRST) Lego League Tournament for district teams. After the pandemic halted competitions, the Hoyas persevered, winning the Provincial Championship in 2022, but local Lego programs for elementary students remained dormant. The Hoyas were determined to change that.
Volunteer Nancy Topps spearheaded the effort. “Last spring, we showcased our robot at local schools and saw tremendous interest from students. However, schools hadn’t managed to restart their teams,” she said. In response, the Hoyas mentors launched a community team, FIRST Lego League Team, this fall, which quickly formed into two teams after 17 kids showed up on the first night.
The teams, which are made up of aspiring engineers from every Huntsville elementary school, including one from Emsdale, tackle real-world challenges by designing and programming Lego robots. The students then compete in regional tournaments to solve problems, share ideas, and display their creations.
December 14, the two teams participated at the North Bay Qualifying Tournament. Despite limited time and resources, one team ranked seventh out of 21!
“The excitement at the competition was amazing,” said Pine Glen Public School students, Lara and Zoey.
Funding was a challenge, but local businesses Call of the Wild and Sixteen Construction stepped in with matching donations for materials. Tremendous support was also provided by HHS teacher, Kirsten Otis, and several members of the Hoyas team who stayed after school, mentoring the younger kids and helping them prepare for the FIRST Lego League Challenge.
Dwayne Verhey, an original Hoya mentor, noted the benefit of Lego robotics for high school students “Students with a background in Lego robotics enter Grade 9 with a strong foundation. It’s easier for them to transition to more advanced robotics,” he said. “The high school students were essential in connecting with the younger ones.”
Jaccob, a current HHS robotics team member who started with Lego robotics in Grade 4, sees it as a path builder, “they’ll try it and realize it’s really cool and that there’s more to robotics, more to the world.”
HHS student, Cameron agrees, “FIRST Lego League introduces kids to the basics of robotics and problem-solving before they reach high school, preparing them for the next level and helping them gain practical skills along the way.”
Topps added, “Our group can’t do it all. There’s too much demand. We hope to host spring seminars to help parents/guardians and teachers start their own teams.”
Next year, the team plans to visit each local school, showcasing their robots to teachers and peers. Parents/guardians and community members interested in starting their own teams can contact Topps by email at [email protected].
