North Royalton High School wins Ohio STEM classroom grant

North Royalton High School will be awarded $5,000 to expand science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning projects through the Ohio STEM Learning Network Classroom Grant Program, funded by Battelle. 

The project, “Be Educated About Robotic Systems (B.E.A.R.S.), will provide hands-on learning through using Lego kits for robotics to reinforce the concepts students have been learning in class.

North Royalton Technology Education Department teacher Jeff Rhodes applied for the grant.

“These Lego kits will give my students the chance to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills and allow them to tap into their artistic side to increase the use of their creative imaginations,” said Rhodes.  “After learning about robotics, some students may take an interest in engineering and move into our Project Lead the Way (Intro into Engineering) course, while others who wish to learn about how things work might transition into a more hands-on class like woodworking or machining.”  

STEM lessons are exceedingly important now more than ever as students prepare for the 21^st century workforce. In robotics, students learn more than just coding.They also learn and hone essential skills they will need later in life, such as leadership skills as well as community involvement, communication between platforms and with others as well as listening skills to better solve problems and to think critically in order to handle real-life situations, such as flat tires, broken toys or even figuring out how to fix a leaky pipe.

“Every Ohio community should have access to the kind of quality STEM education that drives opportunity for families and job growth in our state,” said Kelly Gaier Evans, director of the Ohio STEM Learning Network. “This program creates champions of STEM in local communities and, through them, fosters new opportunities for students.”

 “No matter what students decide to do next, I know these kits will get students excited about STEM and our department,” said Rhodes.

The NRHS technology education department has made STEM its primary academic focus with the goal of reinforcing what other subjects are teaching.  As an example, last school year, the district ran an after-school program for the students that taught them to learn to program and run a plasma cutter as part of the Science Olympics. The program allowed them to cut parts out of metal to be more durable than 3-D printed parts for a timing project. The projects were so successful that North Royalton students won first, second, fourth and fifth place awards during the competition.

“Cross curricular activities like these have increased my enrollment significantly in my computer science courses because the students see the direct result of learning programming,” said Rhodes.  “Having more ways to demonstrate coding that is not inherently as dangerous as the industrial equipment I currently only have at my disposal will help me further increase getting more students interested in programming.”

Rhodes added that when students are involved in robotics, they learn where their passions lie, whether it be building a machine they can control, organizing the code, designing the robot, or simply keeping everyone on track and ensuring a smooth operation.

“Students learn essential life skills as well as a new skill set to take with them through adulthood, even if it entails fixing their own computer or problem-solving issues with a piece of electronics,” he said.

NRHS Principal Sean Osborne said the grant provides another great opportunity for students who are pursuing interests in the STEM fields.

“Thanks to Battelle for the funding and to Jeff Rhodes for taking the extra step to provide for our North Royalton students.”