Fourth graders discover love for robotics

DOWNEY — A group of 4th grade students at Alameda Elementary School who are part of the Robotics and Engineering Club on campus came together last week to celebrate a year full of learning, exploration and problem solving.

These students joined the club at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year not knowing what to expect. After a long stretch of time where the pandemic kept many of them at home learning on Zoom, they finally got the opportunity to be hands-on and build their Vex IQ Robots.

Students struggled at the beginning but as the months went by, they began to excel on their own and collaborate with each other. Students learned how to code and program their robots as well as how to drive and maneuver through game obstacles and challenges.

As students began to want to learn more than what was being offered, their Robotics coach - Mr. Alex Gaytan - decided to expand the program and teach engineering principles. Students learned about physics through building a catapult, they learned about Newton’s 3rd Law through an aerospace engineering experiment, students built a solar powered plastic car, and built circuits to learn about electricity, and many other engineering projects.

“The students would not stop asking questions, and after seeing how eager they were to learn, we started meeting during recess and lunch, when that was still not enough, we added an extra day after school,” said Gaytan.

Students were given the opportunity to explore how things work by opening up computers, machines, iPods, and even old iPhones.

“I find that robotics with students that don’t necessarily excel in a traditional classroom, from your special education students to the person that is not able to communicate well, these kids shine,” Gaytan said. “It brings out talents in students you wouldn’t normally see because they are given the opportunity to learn by doing and freedom to create.”

Students from the Downey High School Striking Vikings mentored these 4th graders and inspired them to think like engineers. Guest speakers from different engineering fields also motivated students to keep wanting to learn more. In addition to that, students went on field trips to the Columbia Memorial Space Center and to the Downey High School Robotics lab.

On April 30, these 4th graders participated in the 3rd Annual Downey Unified School District Robo-Olympics where third, fourth and fifth graders throughout the district competed in a Vex IQ Robotics challenge. After the competition was over, these ambitious 4th graders not only won first place but set a record by finishing with 15 seconds to spare and a perfect score.

With the school year coming to a close, these students are focused on the future and plan to continue in Robotics and Engineering next year, and on to high school. The future looks bright with these young engineers looking to expand their minds and make an impact on the world.