STEM Programs Growing in Elmore County School System; Recent Competitions Held Locally

By Gerri Miller

EAN Staff Writer

Wetumpka High School placed second overall and won more than 30 individual awards in the BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science &Technology) Hub Competition Saturday in the school’s gymnasium.

Wetumpka’s robotics team competed against teams from Ridgecrest Christian School, Eastwood/Cornerstone School, Piedmont Academy, Northridge High School and McKee Middle/Lanier High School. Ridgecrest Christian School of Dothan took first place overall. It was a lively competition with music, dancing and an energetic spirit group from Wetumpka.

BEST is a volunteer- based organization that holds a middle and high school robotics competition each year. The competitions attract more than 850 middle and high schools and over 18,000 students nationwide.

The BEST mission is to engage and excite students about engineering, science, and technology as well as inspire them to pursue careers in these fields. Through participation in the organization’s project-based STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) program, students learn to analyze and solve problems utilizing the Engineering Design Process, which helps them develop technological literacy skills. It is these skills that industry seeks in the workforce.

Robotics is only part of the competition. In fact, some team members may not ever touch a robot but instead learn how to market and sell a product to company executives, said Wetumpka robotics coach science teacher, and Department Chair Virginia Vilardi.

There are also competitions for areas such as team exhibits, critical design, video design, engineering notebook and project engineering notebook. The competition was sponsored by Alabama State University.

Elmore County STEM Director Tracy Wright said the robotics competition is just one of a number of STEM projects underway. On Friday, Coosada Elementary had a school-wide STEM Day. Students were able to work in groups, problem solve and practice their engineering skills.

“One project was making a boat and learning how to make it float,” Wright said. “I was really impressed because a teacher asked her students why the boat was floating and first graders were talking about density and molecules.”

Wright said that in 2021-22, “Project Lead the Way” will be introduced in all five Elmore County middle schools. “This project will give students STEM career paths in biomedical science and engineering,” he said. Project areas include light and space, engineering and infection detection.

Dr. Vilardi said Wetumpka students are participating in a December Raspberry Pi Design App competition in Montgomery. Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer used in several applications from building cools gadgets and games to monitoring and surveillance devices.

Dr. Vilardi said she is thankful for organizations such as the Air Force Association and the Civil Air Patrol because they provide wonderful sponsorship opportunities for teachers.

“We got rocket kits for the whole class from the Civil Air Patrol,” Vilardi said. She said a program called Science in Motion through universities provides physics, chemistry and biology material that classes can use in their labs.

This year Dr. Vilardi received the Air Force Association’s Aerospace-STEM Education Teacher of the Year Award for the local chapter and the state. She placed fifth nationally.

Junior Julian Vilardi said he became interested in improving his presentation skills through his participation in the robotics program. “I have lots of friends in robotics and I engage in multiple activities with them,” he said. “The program teaches you so much and helps you qualify for scholarship opportunities.”  Vilardi said he wants to become a marine biologist.

Senior Brian Hardee said his involvement with robotics is in the fundraising area. “I help us get sponsors and I am also involved in the team exhibit,” he said. Hardee said his involvement has helped him establish a network that can be expanded. “We are building bonds that will last so that we can help each other in the future,” he said.

“I want to make sure robotics is in good hands when I leave,” he said.  Hardee wants to major in political science with a minor in constitutional law.

Scott Burbank is a parent who has two sons in the robotics program – Chase and Pierce. “It’s not just a class,” Burbank said. “Dr. Vilardi puts her heart and soul into the curriculum. The students actually have fun while they are learning skills that will last a lifetime.”