By Kayla J. Marsh
Staff Writer
TINTON FALLS – A joint workshop held by the Ranney School and Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore introduced approximately 30 girls in the third through eighth grades to the world of robotics and provided them with a chance to learn how to code, program and drive robots using state-of-the art technology.
On March 5, brownies, juniors and cadettes from the Girls Scouts came to the Ranney School in Tinton Falls and learned what it takes to make the robots move and come to life.
“We are so excited that the Girl Scouts were able to come to Ranney and partner with us for this event,” said Chiara Shah, Ranney School’s Robotics Program advisor. “They did a great job and I think they came away with a lot from the day.”
During the program, the Girl Scouts worked together in teams of two and were assisted by a Ranney student volunteer.
“We worked ahead of time, setting the 15 robots up using RobotC software … and these girls were so smart,” Shah said.
“Many were just jumping right into the coding, even jumping ahead of me sometimes, and they figured out right away that positive numbers make the robots move forward, negative backwards and zero makes them stop.”
Aside from learning how to program their robot, the girls learned how to make the robot perform tasks such as relay drills, right-angle turns around a Girl Scout cookie box and figure eights.
“These weren’t simple steps that we were doing, it was true, honest coding, and they did great,” Shah said.
“I think with how we set this up, it provided for a much more individualized and focused atmosphere and they worked so hard and did beautifully.”
Ranney School launched its Robotics Program in 2010 and Shah said about 10 percent of the Upper School’s student population participates in the program.
“Students have the opportunity to participate in Robotics starting in fourth grade up until 12th. And I think it is nice for the younger students to be able to see what the older kids are doing and learn and look up to them,” she said.
“These students work so hard and it helps the younger kids maybe set goals for themselves about what they want to do.”
Ranney has four faculty members trained in VEX and VEX IQ system robotics, 12 large VEX competitive robots, more than 20 smaller classroom VEX IQ robots and three classroom labs dedicated to the Robotics program.
Ranney teams have qualified and competed in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 VEX Global Robotics Championship and won the 2014 VEX Robotics Create U.S. Open Championship, as well as the 2015 New Jersey State VEX Robotics Championship.
They will be heading to their fourth global tournament this spring.
“The students work hard on their robots and going to a competition … there is a lot of energy and excitement, but they also get to learn and grow from these competitions as they see what other schools and teams bring and they are just constantly improving and becoming even more creative,” Shah said.
