por Jay Wilson

The second annual Robotics Showcase Extravaganza, sponsored by the San Carlos Library and David Ege, the branch manager, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 23, in the parking lot adjacent to the library at Jackson Drive at Golfcrest Drive. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Can you program a robot to compete in an obstacle course? Many of our neighborhood students can — and they are excited to show off their skills.

The next day on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the San Carlos Branch Library is hosting the Second Annual Robotics Showcase Extravaganza, which will feature local For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (PRIMERO) Lego League (FLL) and PRIMERO Tech Challenge (FTC) teams demonstrating their robots, missions, and projects from the 2017-2018 PRIMERO competition season. The extravaganza will also include a hands-on robotics craft in the library, and a presentation about how to start your own community or school FLL or FTC teams.

Last year, more than 300 people attended this event, which included robotics demonstrations from elementary, middle and high schools. A number of teams are already registered to participate in this year’s event. If you are involved with a robotics team and would like to have your team participate, please contact David Ege at the San Carlos Library at 619-527-3430.

The Henry Cluster STEMM Foundation is helping promote this event and we encourage everyone to stop by and see what students are designing, building and demonstrating. You just may be motivated to help start a robotics team at your school, for a youth group or start a neighborhood club. The Henry Cluster STEMM Foundation may be able to lend a hand. Contact us at hcstemm.org.

The Dailard Elementary Mechanical Dolphins robotics teams are a great example of school-based robotics teams and we would like to acknowledge our amazing Dailard squads.

We are very proud how the robotics kids did this past fall. Each team built and programmed their own EV3 robot to accomplish challenging missions set up by FIRST Lego League.

They also came up with a solution for people living and traveling in space. These amazing projects were:

1. A virtual reality (VR) chat to hang out with family to aid with loneliness and a VR set to make exercise seem similar to being on Earth.
2. A compression suit for astronauts to wear in space in order to help prevent chicken leg syndrome.
3. Feces in between layers of space shuttle hull to help block radiation waves in space.

This last project earned our team a first place project trophy in a regionals competition.

But most importantly, our kids learned all about core values (discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and fun). These values, and all they have learned thru FIRST Lego League, will help our kids in their future accomplishments.

The biggest thank you to Coach Toni, Coach Erin, Coach Sandi, Coach Melissa, Coach Bob, Ms. K., Mr. Martin, and Ms. Fitzpatrick for all they have done to make this season phenomenal.

The Henry Cluster STEMM Foundation was established to promote awareness of, and interest and participation in, science, technology, engineering, mathematics, music and the arts by the students in the Patrick Henry Cluster: Marvin, Foster, Green, Gage, Benchley-Weinberger, Hearst, Dailard, and Hardy Elementary, Lewis and Pershing Middle, Patrick Henry High, and other neighborhood schools.

—Jay Wilson writes on behalf of the Henry Cluster STEMM Foundation. For more information, visit hcstemm.org.