By: Anaiya Patel

Innovation Academy is a stem school, meaning it allows students to explore any of the three pathways: engineering, healthcare, and IT. In order to further expose students to either the engineering or IT pathway, IA offers robotics. Robotics is an after-school program which introduces students to the engineering process, programming, and problem-solving through hands-on challenges. Students learn to build mechanical devices, write codes to control them, and complete missions that require them to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world situations. Christian Hall (10) a member of the robotics team states, “I joined robotics because I wanted to be apart of something academically successful outside of school especially because I wish to be a renewable engineer working with solar panels and it gives me extra experience not only that but it’s a good opportunity for a scholarship.” Robotics integrate both engineering and IT disciplines to design, build, and operate intelligent robotic systems. Engineering focuses on physical hardware and control mechanisms, while IT, particularly with advancements in AI, provides intelligence for the robot’s perception, decision-making, and interaction. Christian states, “You can be a mechatronics, metal shops, woodwork, planning different events and hotels you stay at where you build just like a pit for car fixing.” Robotics at IA is so much more than just building robots. Each team member has a designated role, whether it’s working in mechatronics, metal shop, woodwork, or managing logistics and handling event planning. Each contribution is essential to the team’s success. During competitions, the team travels together, stays in hotels, and sets up in the pit area; much like a pit stop in car racing. It’s a high-pressure zone where everyone jumps into action, working quickly to troubleshoot, repair, and optimize the robot for peak performance. It’s a fast-paced, collaborative environment that blends engineering, creativity, and real-world problem-solving. Christian states, “”Robotics has taught me valuable time management skills and given me something to look forward to after school. It feels like a second family, where I’ve learned how to network, communicate confidently, and build lasting friendships.” Robotics participate in competitions, and everyone tries to make it as functioning as possible in order to win games such as a basketball game where the robot shoots a ball into a hoop. Christian states, “This year I’m helping IRISH (a school competition) where future competitors learn to take control of how to lead and build the robot as all grades participate to familiarize and prepare for the on season which takes place in second semester.” All in all, robotics allows students to fully immerse themselves in experiential and applied learning in engineering, design, and coding; equipping students with a wide range of practical, technical, and interpersonal skills.