2024-07-23
By: Hanna Bartram and Alex Sanchez, UC Merced
This summer, the Boys and Girls Club of Merced County was filled with energy and enthusiasm as CITRIS education interns introduced local youth to the exciting world of robotics and drones. Over the course of three days, students engaged in hands-on activities that ignited their passion for engineering and technology through programs called NexTech Robotics and FLY CITRIS. Under the guidance of CITRIS’ education interns, four engineering undergraduates at UC Merced, Boys and Girls Club students built a series of VEX robots. The students, ranging from 5th to 8th grade, eagerly assembled the bots, learning the intricacies of robotics and teamwork. After constructing their robots, they participated in friendly competitions, putting their creations to the test in various challenges designed to enhance their problem-solving and engineering skills.
Next, the UC Merced CITRIS interns introduced the basics of coding, and the young participants quickly picked up on programming fundamentals. They programmed their robots to complete specific tasks, from navigating mazes to performing precise movements, and even simulated agricultural tasks such as planting seeds, watering crops, and harvesting. These activities reinforced their understanding of logic and sequence while demonstrating the practical applications of robotics in agriculture.
On their last day, the Boys and Girls Club students had the chance to fly drones and navigate obstacles, while learning about how drones can be used in agriculture. These hands-on activities are a fun way to infuse learning into summertime and get K-12 students excited about STEM so they can see themselves as future scientists and engineers. These summer programs were made possible in part by a partnership with the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture (IOT4Ag), an NSF Engineering Research Center.