Hands-on learning

CATAPULT ROBOT: Team members Jovanni Costa, Kenny Capellan and Danny Wu collaborate on the construction of a basic robot. They will move on to more complex projects that may include a robot interlinked to a cell phone capable of performing multiple tasks.

(Warwick Beacon photos)

ONCE IT STARTS IT GOES: Teachers Dennis Dubee and Adam Ricci have found once students get engaged in building robots, they are anxious to learn more.

(Warwick Beacon photos)

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM: Toll Gate sophomore Trevor Mathews operates one of the robots students built in the school corridor.

(Warwick Beacon photos)

Warwick Beacon · Thursday, January 19, 2017 12:53 pm

There’s been no lack of interest since Toll Gate boosted classes in robotics, says technology/education department chair Dennis Dubee. Dubee credits the administration with coming through with about $25,000 for materials to get the program up and running plus additional budget allocations to maintain it. Previously, the department had one robot; it now has 32. Currently, three classes in robotics are being held at the school with a total enrollment of 55 students. In addition to Dubee, Adam Ricci is teaching robotics. Skills learned include the use of tools, problem solving, math, physics, closely following directions and teamwork, as classes are broken into twos and threes who work together on building successively more complex robots. “When the kids are happy, it’s easy to teach,” said Dubee.