Schools

High School Students Show Off Their Robots to BOE [Video]

The new Millburn robotics club show the Board of Education the newest members of the high school.

Have you met the newest additions to the Millburn High School? 

Well the three new members attended the most recent Board of Education meeting and were met by some impressed board members because a few Millburn High School students built them.

Part of the recently formed robotics club, a few Millburn High School students introduced to the board the three robots they've built in the short time since the club started.

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The club was established at the end of last school year with help from Millburn High School computer teacher Dave Farrell. Farrell organized a program and gave the students tasks to complete as they built their first robot.

"This program has quite a lot of potential to teach students life long skills," one of the club members said in a speech to the board. "And who knows the next Steve Jobs or the next great entrepreneur visionary could come out of this program."

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The students showed the board the trial and error they went through in a movie, which documented the process of each task Farrell gave them throughout the summer. The club went from making sure the robot didn't hit walls to following a curved line using sensors. 

Board member Lise Chapman stressed to the students the importance of failing throughout this process.

“You made mistakes and it didn’t matter,” Chapman said. “Because of failure you got to the next level.”

Originally comprised of mostly seniors, the club has incorporated juniors and sophomores who were willing to give up their lunch periods or come in early to school to work on the robots. The juniors and sophomores have already helped build two more robots in the short time school has been in session. 

Superintendent Dr. James Crisfield said he hopes to have presentations like this regularly at board meetings to highlight things that are going on in the school.

“The concept here is to keep us focused on why we are here,” Crisfield said. “And quite frankly to show off a little bit.”

Ferrell also is the advisor for the new “Tech Aid” class, which help seniors citizens in the community understand technology. 


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