CC4-H Robotics Teaching STEM and Self-Confidence to Centre County Students

STEM is hot. Ask any school administrator: get kids involved in STEM to set them on course for the right degrees and the fastest-growing careers. As STEM programs take shape across the country, it’s easier said than done. STEM careers rely not just on intellect and talent, but also on a variety of life skills, like independence and teamwork, that aren’t always as easy to teach.

Centre County 4-H Robotics (CC4-H) incorporates these skills into its activities. Founded in 2012 as part of Penn State Extension Centre County 4-H, CC4-H Robotics is a local STEM organization focused on education, teamwork, and real world innovation. The group is student-led, supported by volunteer adult mentors, and recruits a diverse group of students from grades 4-12, regardless of educational background. Students from public and private schools, as well as homeschooled students, participate.

The students take part in robotics projects, gaining experience in fields ranging from science and engineering to marketing, business development and design, ensuring that all members have valuable roles, making it accessible for a wide range of students. The group competes in robotics competitions, including large tournaments.

Lead mentor Bill Jester, a director at Siemens by day, said his son’s participation in the group has given him a space to connect with like-minded kids. While Jester and other mentors are there for guidance, the students work independently, giving them the responsibility for planning a robotics project and providing a safe platform to problem-solve and collaborate.

CC4-H Robotics is participating in FIRST Robotics Competition, an international event giving students the opportunity to design and build fully-functional, full-sized robots that compete in tournaments. Recently the group finished in second place at the Greater Pittsburgh Regional, a victory that Jester described as “ahead of schedule.”

“The students had been aiming for small improvements from year to year,” he said. “But they took a huge jump.”

Jester said the skills the students hone in CC4-H Robotics transcend beyond the classroom or even future career to personal development. Students learn the importance of persistence and of leaving one’s comfort zone. They are encouraged to widen their range of abilities rather than to specialize in a specific aspect in which they already excel.

CC4-H Robotics member Mary Davis, a senior, explained, “It’s easy to become extremely adept at one thing, so the chance to participate in elements of robotics that are new to me is exciting and extremely challenging.”

As one of just a few female members, Davis uniquely understands one of the key aims of CC4-H Robotics: to increase exposure to STEM to underrepresented demographics. Women hold only 35% of university degrees in STEM fields, one of the greatest gender imbalances among academic subject areas. Davis says lack of confidence, or the notion that robotics are an activity for boys, could be keeping girls away from STEM. She said being part of CC4-H Robotics has helped her to defeat her own mental obstacles and given her confidence in her own STEM abilities. Jester said the group also seeks to add students from more rural school districts.

In addition to being volunteer-supported, CC4-H Robotics relies on voluntary contributions from sponsors and individuals who are interested in advancing STEM to more students and schools districts in Centre County. Are you interested in a sponsorship opportunity that will help local students advance in STEM? Learn more at http://www.centre4h-robotics.org/.