Adirondack Students Learn Robotics from West Point Cadets in Essex

CFES-West Point Robotics Workshop in Essex, NY: Student Participants & Instructors (Credit: Katie Shepard)

On February 4th, Dr. Kendall Williams and three cadets from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point came to the College for Every Student (CFES) Center in Essex, NY to conduct a robotics workshop with 40 students from six Adirondack schools. They talked with students about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) fields and various college and career paths.

CFES-West Point Robotics Workshop in Essex, NY: Students Programming Robots (Credit: Katie Shepard)

CFES President and CEO Rick Dalton explained that CFES has collaborated with the U.S. Military Academy in other regions across the country, but the workshop in Essex (and another in Beekmantown the following day) marked the first time that it was held in the North Country and gave Adirondack students this hands-on experience.

“STEM education is important for college and career readiness. STEM is the future; most high paying and mid-level jobs are going to be STEM related. We want young people to develop the skills, knowledge, and enthusiasm for STEM fields,” said Dalton.

Students at the workshop were grouped into pairs and spent the morning building identical robots. In the afternoon, the students learned about programming and worked to program their robots to complete a simple course.

CFES-West Point Robotics Workshop in Essex, NY: Students Testing Their Programmed Robots (Credit: Katie Shepard)

Dr. Williams and the cadets assisted the students with the assembly and programming of the robots, and kept the students very engaged throughout the day-long workshop.

Students learned about the scientific process, used trial and error, math skills, computer skills, teamwork, and more.

The workshop ended with a friendly competition between the student groups to see whose robot could best complete the course. The two students in the winning group were Anders Stanton and Milly Perryman, both seventh graders from Lake Placid Middle School.

Both students mentioned that they had never programmed a robot before or done anything quite like what they experienced during the workshop. That was most likely the case for most of the students given the opportunity to participate in this event, making it a truly a unique experience for these local students.

Why is STEM Important?

Speaking with Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Johnson, the Director of the Center for Leadership & Diversity in STEM at West Point, he explained why STEM education is important for the students of today and why exactly West Point, a military institution, would be interested in promoting STEM education in particular.

LTC Johnson said that STEM education is a national security issue for the country. The defense system of the United States is highly technological, and many of the tools even the average soldier must use involve technical knowledge, so having a population learned in STEM skills is a necessity.

CFES-West Point Robotics Workshop in Essex, NY: Dr. Kendall Williams Instructing Students About Programming Angles in Robotic Movement (Credit: Katie Shepard)

Before the events of September 11, 2001, it wasn’t uncommon for positions in US STEM fields to be filled by foreign workers, however since then national security has tightened and the hiring atmosphere has changed, which has opened up more opportunities for US citizens.

Statistically, considering the current unemployment numbers there are 1-2 STEM jobs available per person. Yet, that demand cannot be filled because the majority of people in need of a position do not have the skills necessary for those jobs. There is a STEM skills gap in America.

In an attempt to help alleviate this problem, LTC Johnson explained that a decision was made to target youth and raise interest in STEM careers early in life. The idiom “cradle to career” promotes nurturing an education in STEM skills from a young age, throughout school and college, to ensure a STEM-related career can be a possibility for a larger number of students.

In an attempt to foster that interest West Point instructors, all volunteers, teach workshops like the one that took place in Essex all across the country. The United States Military Academy also hosts a short STEM summer camp that invites 120 students every year. These activities are aimed at middle school aged children as sometimes for high school students it can be too late to affect their academic career.

West Point’s partnership with College for Every Student is an important link in these efforts. LTC Johnson explained that West Point does not have the ability to connect with students or to arrange for them to attend the STEM workshops. However, CFES does have that ability and can work with schools to arrange for their CFES scholars to attend and benefit from the instruction offered by these West Point volunteers.

The hope is that these events, which are exposing children to an environment where they are learning about STEM skills in a hands on and fun way, will ignite curiosity in the students’ minds and encourage their interest in STEM subjects and begin an ambition to pursue a STEM career.

To learn more about the importance of STEM education you can watch a CFES live chat with LTC Anthony Johnson here: CFES Live Chat – Engaging Students in STEM Fields.

Closing the Skills Gap: Helping Young People Become Exceptional (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
New Study Shows Gap in Specific STEM Skills (usnews.com)

About Katie Shepard

Passionate about reading and writing stories, Katie Shepard enjoys discovering more about her home while writing and editing for Essex on Lake Champlain. Katie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 where she studied English literature, philosophy, and Asian studies. Her first book Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide was published in 2015.