Readying for robotics challenge
<p>Taylor Roberts presents a code written by her group during a Zero Robotics International Space Station Programming Challenge class Wednesday at Woodland Middle School in Coeur d’Alene.</p>
<p>Mason Cummings, 12, works on programming a robotics code on a laptop.</p>
<p>Vaugh Bassaillion, left, and Noah Martinez participate in code programming in their Zero Robotics class.</p>
Some Woodland Middle School students are readying for the 2015 Zero Robotics International Space Station Programming Challenge.
Just three schools from Idaho were chosen to participate in this program - Woodland, in Coeur d'Alene; North Idaho STEM Charter Academy in Rathdrum; and Meridian Middle School in Ada County.
The goal for the students is to write code to program SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellite), bowling-ball sized spherical satellites used inside the International Space Station to simulate flying maneuvers.
The students are competing for a spot in an actual NASA simulation in August.
"I think it's important for kids to have these opportunities in Coeur d'Alene," said Dale Johnson, a sixth-grade math teacher at Woodland. "Many kids in California and Massachusetts get to do this every day, so to give our kids this opportunity is great."
Johnson hosts the program at Woodland in his classroom, providing the students with instruction, support, snacks and even lunch when needed.
The students are excited to be involved in the program also.
"If I wasn't here, I would be at home probably arguing with my siblings," said Eleanor Tenbrink, 12, of Coeur d'Alene.
Eleanor, like most kids, enjoys other activities like hiking, but she is glad to spend the four weeks in this program.
"It's fun. I have friends here," Eleanor said.
Taylor Roberts, 12, of Coeur d'Alene, another student in the program, gave a presentation Wednesday morning showing her group's effort.
"Right now we are basically trying to get our satellite to move to a certain position," Taylor said.
After a simulation run-through of the code, Taylor and her team learned they didn't have the code they needed to move the satellite to the proper position.
Even with the simulation not completing the task intended, the entire class still clapped and congratulated her team on their efforts.
Vaughan Bissaillon, 12, of Coeur d'Alene said he enjoys being in the program, and that he has been learning coding since fifth grade.
"I like to play hockey and skateboard, but really like this," Vaughan said.
"We have all kinds of students, kids that are high achievers and low achievers," Johnson said.
The program is free for students and their families. Materials and curriculum are covered by a grant from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and NASA.