About a dozen youngsters are immersed in a weeklong Lego beginning robotics course for 90 minutes every morning learning how to build and program their own robots made from Legos.
Put on by the San Benito Robotics nonprofit at Montessori School in Hollister, the kids in grades three through eighth are tutored by several former members of the San Benito High School Robotics team.
The first few days they spent building and programming their creations. They don’t use traditional programming codes—rather they use “code blocks” on an Ipad to help them navigate their robots through various tasks. Their first was to drive their robot into a square marked on the floor.
Giovanny Arenas, the program director, said the main thing the students get out of the course is a basic introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), and robotics.
“They get that passion through Legos making learning more inviting, engaging and fun,” he said. “They learn the fundamental knowledge then the world is their oyster.”
On Friday, the students in the class will compete in various tasks for their parents, showing off what they’ve learned, Arenas said.
Both Arenas and another mentor, Fisk Ehn, are alumni of the San Benito High School Robotics Team. Arenas is a founding member of the high school robotics team.
The kids spent part of the morning gathering Legos, building their robots then installing the code blocks for the tasks ahead of them.
Kai Berrera, 13, was running back and forth, gathering different Legos, while others were working on their codes.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said 11-year-old Jude Nelson, who was sitting on the floor working on his robot.
