Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto: students succeed with robotics

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Austin Harvill
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy - --  The quest to make education interesting to young minds is a quintessential challenge for teachers across the world, but Dave Izzo, Aviano High School technological studies teacher, has found a solution to teach students science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM.

His students are building the world's first R2-D2. Well, maybe not that extravagant, but they do build robots.

After school, Izzo and his advisors meet with a team of approximately 20 students once a week to build, program and test robots for regional, continental and international competitions. The advisors only inform students where to access relevant educational material and competition rules. The students must perform the complex programming, wrench turning and long hours debating between spiked tank treads or chrome wheels with spinners.

Personal preferences aside, each robot is built for a specific competition, so they could include arms, wheels, treads or any other apparatus necessary to complete a certain competition goal. The students have won awards in European competitions and have been ranked at the top of international scoreboards.

"The robotics club is a lot of fun for the kids, but really it is so much more," said Izzo. "These students have to use computer programming, engineering, math, problem solving and strategic skills to be active in the club, so it is very academic at its core."

According to Izzo, the academic aspect is an added bonus for most of the students, not the end goal. Many students join because they see the robots and want to be a part of the creation process.

At least, that was the case for Julia Markel, AHS junior and club member. After seeing a robot in action during her freshman year, she joined.

"When I saw the club start with only an idea and then build this really complex robot at the end of the semester, I was fascinated that it could be done," said Markel. "I didn't know much about the process, but I wanted to make something similar and call it my own."

The benefits of the club extend far beyond a future in making inspirational robots for action films. As one of the veteran club members, Markel sees how the STEM skills could have applications in her future.

"I never thought of the club as a step toward a potential career [in a STEM field], but now I want to study computer sciences because I love the programming," said Markel. "I've spent hours after school by myself programming the robots to do what I want because it is so rewarding. I want to continue having that same sense of accomplishment after I graduate."

While the skills grow the students as technical professionals, Izzo believes the group's teamwork provides everyone with something to take away, regardless of what they want to pursue after graduation.

"One of the biggest pillars within the competitions is 'gracious professionalism,' which means being a good team player and respecting the ideas and opinions of other competitors," said Izzo. "The whole point of a robotics club, whether they compete or not, is to teach responsibility and forward-thinking--to build the future of our world together."