Every summer, the Cougar Robotics team runs a summer program to teach kids basic robotics and how to program NXT Mindstorm Robots. This program runs two different cycles of the class and students ranging from grades two to eight can sign up for it. In the class, students will have the opportunity to build and program a robot to autonomously compete in a series of different daily challenges based on real world issues. We started by helping them make the robot using LEGO bricks, motors, sensors, and an NXT to complete a challenge. Afterwards, they used NXT-G, an interactive drag-and-drop environment, to program the robots to complete specific challenges. Challenges ranged from coding a robot to simply move in a square to stopping and starting in response to sounds. Students learn to program robots to complete basic challenges, whether it be the robot moving in a square or having sounds trigger its motion. These challenges place an emphasis on using and programming sensors in their designs. In total, the volunteers from Team 1403 had volunteered for nearly 400 hours with our summer program. We hope that these kids pursue their passion in STEM, and eventually on our team.

More information: https://www.mtsd.k12.nj.us/Page/569

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