The Great Neck Public Schools will be offering a new district-wide elementary robotics enrichment program for the 2019–20 school year. This new enrichment program supplements the innovative STEM, robotics and engineering activities that are part of the regular school curriculum at the elementary and secondary levels for all students.
Through the creation of five new “First Lego League” teams, more than 50 elementary students across the district are applying STEM and problem-solving skills through hands-on engineering activities and will participate in First Lego League competitions.
First Lego League is an international, education-based robotics program that challenges students in grades 4–8 to research a real-world engineering challenge, develop a solution and compete with Lego-based robots of their own design. The core values of the program emphasize discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion and teamwork.
The five GNPS elementary robotics teams are comprised of fourth and fifth-grade students from all four of the district’s elementary schools. This program offers a rare educational opportunity for students from different schools to work together as teammates.
Participants meet with team coaches once a week. During the sessions, which are held on Saturday and Sunday mornings, students can be found researching, designing, programming and problem-solving. This engineering process develops critical thinking, team-building, literacy and presentation skills in a supportive environment.
The district announced plans to initiate an elementary robotics enrichment program as part of the 2019–20 school district budget in April 2019. The district is grateful for the financial support provided by the Lewis E. Love Foundation, which has helped defray start-up expenses associated with the new program.
The Lewis E. Love Memorial Science Education Award was established by the Great Neck North High School Class of 1963 to support science education in the Great Neck Public Schools. Love was a beloved science teacher in Great Neck for more than 40 years who inspired many students to pursue a career in science.
The financial award was established by a group of alumni, Love’s family, friends and supporters to demonstrate their gratitude for the deep and lasting effect his teaching skill and exemplary character had on their lives.
The inaugural Lewis E. Love Memorial Science Education Award has been utilized to purchase First Lego materials and supplies that will be used for years to come as the elementary robotics enrichment program continues to grow.
“On behalf of the entire school community, we are incredibly appreciative for the funding provided through the inaugural Lewis E. Love Award,” said Dr. Stephen Lando, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education. “This very generous donation has helped our district realize our goal of providing elementary students with an enrichment program that offers an authentic, hands-on engineering experience that fosters connections to real-world situations through STEM research, applications, and presentations. I cannot think of a more fitting way to honor Mr. Love’s extraordinary teaching career in Great Neck.”
The district’s new elementary robotics enrichment program complements existing robotics programs at the secondary level. Great Neck’s middle school robotics teams also compete at First Lego League challenges, and the high school robotics teams participate in the First Tech Challenge and First Robotics Competition.
The GNPS elementary robotics teams are currently gearing up for regional First Lego League competitions scheduled for February. These regional competitions offer head-to-head challenges between robotics teams from across Long Island, as well as group challenges that require collaboration among teams representing different school districts and organizations.
Story submitted by Great Neck Public Schools.
