In the garage of a home in Fort Myers, a robotics team of 9 high school students from across 8 Southwest Florida schools is working on its latest robot. In 2022, the team, known as Java the Hutts, won a worldwide competition. They’ll enter that again this spring, but for now they are marking November 8, national STEM day, which encourages young people to explore their interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
One of this team’s missions is to educate others about the wonders of robotics and STEM.
And that includes local legislators. This summer, team members traveled to Washington, DC, to the offices of Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott and Congressman Byron Donalds.
16-year-old Dhruva Sharma, a junior at Fort Myers High, has the details:
“We showed our robots off to them, we told them our story. And we advocated for greater funding for STEM in Florida,” he said.
Greater funding would help more students get the advantages that the members of this community team have enjoyed.
“I think that doing robotics has definitely played a big part into what I wanted to do when I grew up. Because before this, I had almost no clue. And then being immersed in this world of engineering and programming really helped guide me and figure out what I want to do,” Dhruva Sharma said.
17-year-old Robbie Stewart is a senior, dual-enrolled at Bonita Springs High School and Florida Gulf Coast University. Robotics has boosted his education too.
“I've become a way better public speaker. I've become a better team leader. And of course, all of the practical skills I've learned. Some of the stuff they don't even teach you in college. It's really beneficial. I can't praise it enough,” Stewart said.
On National STEM day, these students are singing the praises of studying and exploring robotics and STEM.
Dhruva Sharma summarized: “Anybody who has an opportunity to get involved with any robotics team, any STEM education, any experience should definitely take it up, because you don't know what it has to offer until you try it.”
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