Rudder High School student project benefits younger Bryan ISD students

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – A group of Rudder High School students have been building and painting tables which will go to other Bryan ISD schools.

These tables will be used for robotics classes in Bryan elementary and intermediate schools. David Mendoza is a 10th grader in the construction class helping with the painting. He said this was a good way to support other students and subjects.

‘It’s fun and at the same time I’m happy I’m helping the intermediate schools and elementary schools,” Mendoza said.

James Irick is a 6th grade math educator who uses these tables with 5th and 6th graders.

“Students will build the challenges on the mat and then they build a robot that’s designed to tackle the challenges that are presented each year,” Irick said.

Now, there will be more available to start younger. Those elementary students will be learning with Legos, but Irick said this teaches many more skills.

“They think that they’re going to come in and play with [Lego] bricks and they get to play with them some, but it really tackles the communication, complicated thought processes, going through rewards, and losses,” he said. “They’re given only a certain amount of time to get as many points as possible so they really have to use their critical thinking to see what is it that they can tackle and what’re those challenges that maybe are worth more points but maybe they’re not as realistic.”

Irick said one of the most important skills students learn in robotics is how to use their voice.

“There’s a research component, there’s the robotics component but there’s also the presentation. So they’re going to be presenting their findings to people outside of their school and a lot of times outside of their comfort zone,” he said.

The group of high school students built and painted up to 16 tables. These new tables were painted blue instead of black to be calming.

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