Innovative Partnership Brings Robots to Mesa Middle School

Mesa Middle School's Gifted and Talented Program recently participated in an exciting five-week enrichment opportunity through a unique partnership with General Atomics. Led by Mesa Teacher Erin Gilbert, students explored robotics, coding and engineering design. The program fostered collaboration, skill-building and hands-on learning for the students. 

The challenge was to build and program robots capable of meeting real-world engineering requirements. Engineers from General Atomics, a local leader in advanced technology and innovation, worked closely with students and provided them with professional insight and guidance. The engineers established specific tasks for the robots including navigating obstacles, following a predetermined path and triggering alarms.

Students tackled these challenges by coding their robots to meet the requirements, troubleshooting their designs and verifying their success. Mini-lessons led by General Atomics engineers enhanced students' understanding of coding, problem-solving, and iterative design, emphasizing the importance of learning from successes and failures.

This dynamic partnership allowed students to apply STEM concepts in a real-world context while being coached and mentored by industry professionals. The experience enriched their learning, sparked curiosity and encouraged them to think like engineers.