DETROIT -- Navy Recruiting Command (NRC) and Midwest Region City Outreach Program in cooperation with Navy Recruiting District (NRD) Michigan hosted a Regional SeaPerch Underwater Robotics Challenge Qualifier at Western International High School, April 14.
SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips teachers and students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in an in-school or out-of-school setting.
37 teams from 18 high school, middle school, and elementary schools around Michigan and Chicago competed to advance to the International SeaPerch Championships to be held at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, June 1-3.
“For many of these schools this is the only real hands on STEM they get the opportunity to interact with,” said Chief Navy Councilor Joshua Harless, City Outreach Midwest Chief. “A lot of the stuff they are learning is more theory out of a text book. But with the SeaPerch program we bring the theory with application and we provide the training for the teachers.”
The SeaPerch Program provides students with the opportunity to learn about robotics, engineering, science, and mathematics (STEM) while building an underwater ROV as part of a science and engineering technology curriculum.
“It’s given our kids lots of opportunities; it provides them with a wide range of scientific concepts as well as the engineering process. Build it, test it, and adjust from what they’ve learned,” said Ron Schaffner, Clinton High School Science teacher, representing five teams in the competition. “Having the ability to apply the science is 90% of it, we could just talk about some of scientific concepts but the opportunity for trial and error and having guidance helps bring all of those things together for the students.”
Throughout the project, students learn engineering concepts, problem solving, teamwork, and technical applications.
“I was really interested, in the program,” said Jose Franco, from Wayne Metro Schools. “The big thing is that you have to rely on your team, you can’t just do everything by yourself.”
Students build the ROV from a kit comprised of low-cost, easily accessible parts, following a curriculum that teaches basic engineering and science concepts with a marine engineering theme, all provided by Navy Outreach and the local recruiting district.
According to Harless, going into schools as a recruiting command typically means asking for things, but with a program like SeaPerch the Navy is giving and teaching, building a strong relationship between the school and the Navy.
While working with the Navy through a program like SeaPerch, both students and faculty get the opportunity to learn more about the Navy and what it means to serve in the Navy.
“This has changed the way I see the Navy, two years ago our local recruiter came out and brought us the kits and it really opened my eyes to see what opportunities kids have in the Navy,” said Schaffner. “I was able to see what the Navy offers after someone leaves the Navy and comes back to civilian life; their ability to be prepared, to be equipped with a skill set that makes them employed and valuable.”
Although many of the students are not yet ready to make the decision to join the military there is a reason for reaching out to them now.
“Contacting the kids early is important,” said Harless. “While they may not be eligible to serve now, if recruiters are able to build a relationship through a program like this beginning in middle school it helps keep students on the right track, so when the time comes they are able to join the Navy or get a career in STEM.”
“Participating in the event really made me more interested in joining the Navy,” said Hezekiah Asherkarr, a student at Recce Puffer High School. “It is defiantly a great program for kids who are interested in science and math and defiantly anybody interested in robotics. Even if they’re not interested in the Navy they should defiantly come out check it out they’ll get a lot of information they did not know, I fully recommend this.”
The regional qualifier consisted of three evolutions: speed obstacle course, challenge course, and interview/presentation. The top six teams with the best scores from each division advanced to the interview portion of the competition.
For more information on the SeaPerch Program visit www.seaperch.org.
| Date Taken: | 04.14.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2018 12:50 |
| Story ID: | 277919 |
| Location: | DETROIT, MI, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Michigan Sailors and Students Set Sail with SEAPERCH, by Stephen Doyle, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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