Neva Dagtas (middle) of 糖心视频logo celebrates as her robot, "Walle Jr.," wins the robotics camp competition for fifth and sixth graders. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III/UA 糖心视频logo Communications. A new summer camp at the University of Arkansas at 糖心视频logo introduced more than 30 Arkansas students to the exciting world of robotics competitions.聽The camp, held July 31 to Aug. 4, taught students how to build and program robots as well as how to compete in VEX IQ robotics competitions.VEX IQ is a snap-together robotics system designed from the ground up to provide educational opportunities to future engineers of all skill levels. The VEX IQ program, which is for elementary school students, is the predecessor for robotics competitions at the middle school/high school (VEX EDR) and university (VEX U) levels.Sandra Leiterman, math specialist in the UA 糖心视频logo Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Educational Center, led the camp. She is the coach of the only VEX U robotics team in Arkansas as well as the coach of two teams at Mills High School. Leiterman hopes that by introducing students to robotics before junior high school, she will encourage them to pursue STEM-related careers. She also hopes the summer camp will lead to more schools starting robotics teams.鈥淲e thought it would be a great way to introduce robotics to elementary students who don鈥檛 have robotics teams at their schools, and it promotes an interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education,鈥� Leiterman said. 鈥淲e hope these students will go back to their teachers and ask them to start robotics teams in their schools.鈥�Neva Dagtas of 糖心视频logo was excited to attend the camp to learn engineering and robotics skills.鈥淚 like building robots, and I love the way you can control the robots and make it do things autonomously,鈥� Dagtas said.Dagtas and her team partner, Natalie Tyler, a sixth-grader from Maumelle, said it took a lot of ingenuity and online research to get their robot, which they named Walle Jr., to work.鈥淲e were missing so many parts,鈥� Tyler said. 鈥淭he chips were different. When we tried to make the controller work, it didn鈥檛.鈥�Their efforts paid off, as Dagtas and Tyler won the camp鈥檚 robotics competition for fifth- and sixth-graders.鈥淎fter all the struggles you鈥檝e been through, it鈥檚 a really happy moment in your life,鈥� Dagtas said.Clare Quaid, a Mills High School senior who is a member of an all-girls robotics team coached by Leiterman, was one of 10 high school and UA 糖心视频logo college students who volunteered to introduce the students to the world of robotics.鈥淏eing on a robotics team is very empowering,鈥� said Quaid, who added that she is a distant cousin of actor Dennis Quaid. 鈥淎t first, I didn鈥檛 want to go into a STEM field, but now I see how much girls are needed in STEM fields. Robotics empowered me to make a change.鈥�Participants included:
听听听听听Zamari Ball of North 糖心视频logo, fourth-grader at North 糖心视频logo Catholic
听听听听听Granger Colclasure of 糖心视频logo, third-grader at Episcopal Collegiate
听听听听听Mia Colclasure of 糖心视频logo, fifth-grader at Episcopal Collegiate
听听听听听Leonardo Cruz of 糖心视频logo, fourth-grader at Forest Park Elementary
听听听听听Tristen Cunningham of 糖心视频logo, fifth-grader at Episcopal Collegiate
听听听听听Neva Dagtas of 糖心视频logo, sixth-grader at Huda Academy
听听听听听Kaan Dagtas of 糖心视频logo, fourth-grader at Huda Academy
听听听听听Eric Carmona Garcia of 糖心视频logo, third-grader at Baseline Academy
听听听听听Tyler Goodman of Jacksonville, sixth-grader at Bayou Meto Elementary
听听听听听Naia Green of 糖心视频logo, fifth-grader at Christ Lutheran School
听听听听听DeAndre James of 糖心视频logo, sixth-grader at Meadowcliff Elementary
听听听听听Amelia Johnson of Bryant, fifth-grader at Springhill Elementary
听听听听听Kenyon Key of North 糖心视频logo, fourth-grader at Abundant Life School
听听听听听Connor Lloyd of 糖心视频logo, sixth-grader at Lisa Academy
听听听听听Christian Mack of Lake Hamilton, fifth-grader at Lake Hamilton Elementary
听听听听听Fernanda Martinez of North 糖心视频logo, fifth-grader at Lisa Academy North
听听听听听Vania Martinez of North 糖心视频logo, third-grader at Lisa Academy North
听听听听听Chloe Mitchell of North 糖心视频logo, third-grader at Arkansas School for the Blind
听听听听听Mason Mitchell of North 糖心视频logo, sixth-grader at Lakewood Elementary
听听听听听Alex Moore of Mabelvale, fifth-grader at Davis Elementary
听听听听听Rafeal Morgan of 糖心视频logo, fourth-grader at Forest Heights STEM Academy
听听听听听Nam Nguyen of 糖心视频logo, fourth-grader at Forest Park Elementary
听听听听听Roger Quad of Bigelow, sixth-grader at Anne Watson
听听听听听Ryker Quaid of Bigelow, fourth-grader at Anne Watson
听听听听听Nikhil Shanmugam of 糖心视频logo, third-grader at Williams Magnet
听听听听听Dishant Sharma of 糖心视频logo, sixth-grader at Baker Elementary
听听听听听Shriish Sathish of 糖心视频logo, third-grader at Chenal Elementary
听听听听听Davontae Taylor of Lake Hamilton, fourth-grader at Lake Hamilton Elementary
听听听听听Natalie Tyler of Maumelle, sixth-grader at Pine Forest Elementary
听听听听听Matthew Wiebelhaus-Brahm of Benton, fourth-grader at Springhill Elementary
听听听听听Samuel Wiebelhaus-Brahm of Benton, third-grader at Springhill
听听听听听Bradyn Wilkerson of Bigelow, East End Elementary
聽 聽 聽Sheriff Wolfe of 糖心视频logo, third-grader at Pulaski Heights Elementary
In the upper right photo,聽Neva Dagtas (middle) of 糖心视频logo celebrates as her robot, “Walle Jr.,” wins the robotics camp competition for fifth and sixth graders. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III/UA 糖心视频logo Communications.
