Lego Robotics team in West Sunbury makes STEAM fun
WEST SUNBURY — In a quiet, sunny back room of the North Trails Public Library in West Sunbury, children huddle together to build unique creations.
They’re part of the newly formed Kids Innovation Playground Lego Robotics Club, a group of 15 youngsters from grades five to seven, coached by local STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math) professionals to work with custom robots in the hopes of competing in larger FIRST Lego League competitions in the fall.
Through the collaboration of the nonprofit and a grant from Westinghouse Electric Co. the group was able to acquire 15 Lego Spike robotics kits, and is gearing up to build a team that will show off its work at Pittsburgh competitions. Westinghouse provided $7,000 in total as part of the grant.
Team coach Kevin Shaffer, an engineer who works at the Cranberry Woods Westinghouse location, said Thursday that the company’s donation will help the group flourish.
“The donation Westinghouse made will be used not only for these kits, but for entry fees for competitions and other supplies we may need,” he said. “It’s going to keep us going through this entire year.”
Shaffer described the group as a team, as opposed to the drop-in workshop model of some other STEAM programs. He emphasized to participating families that students would be expected to attend Thursday afternoon meetings each week.
“We’re going to meet every week all summer long, and only take off when we don’t have enough kids,” Shaffer said. “The goal is we’re going to try to get to the competition this fall, if we are advanced enough and can get all the skills we need.”
Shaffer’s wife, Lorraine, is executive director and founder of Kids Innovation Playground, a northern Butler County nonprofit after-school program that brings STEAM activities to kids.
Libraries, she said, are a natural location for a team like this to work together, and can help connect residents of northern Butler County to a community meeting place.
“Mothers are there with younger kids dropping their kids off to come to this or another event, and the younger kids are saying, ‘hey, can we go in the library?’” she said. “Libraries are so underestimated, and they already are reaching everybody. They don’t discriminate — it’s the natural place to start to add STEAM”
She hopes the Lego team and other STEAM activities can help build self-esteem in students, especially those who don’t participate in as many other activities.
Head librarian Kathy Kline was encouraged by the opportunity to help “bridge the digital divide” in northern Butler County.
“It’s not just internet connection, it takes in multiple facets of technology,” she said. “This is wonderful for the children and helps them to grow towards better things, and exposes them to different possibilities. That’s what I find most exciting, is that it exposes our boys and girls to things that they may want to do for the future with math and science and technology.”
The library’s free Wi-Fi often brings community members there to use the computers, Kline said, describing one woman who still had dial-up internet at her home in 2017 and who would go to the library to pay her bills.
“There is still that need,” she said.
At the group’s second meeting this Thursday, Shaffer demonstrated how to use a light-up module of the robotics kits, and let the team members explore the tech on their own through tutorials.
Ayden Glagola, 12, tried to make a Minecraft character’s face with his light-up block.
“I like that you can do creative things with Lego,” he said.
Izzy Salvia, whose dad, Mike Salvia, is a coach with the group, was already looking ahead to learning more about how to use the Lego kits.
“I just like the creativity about it. The options are basically limitless on what you can do,” she said. “I’m looking forwad to more of the building portion.”
Mike Salvia thanked the library, the nonprofit and Westinghouse for making the group possible. Since some of the student participants, like his daughter, have participated in previous science activities, he anticipates the program will help them build upon their previous coding and tech skills.
“I’ve always loved this style of Lego, too,” he joked. “It’s an excuse to be playing with these things.”
