For the past six weeks, an FPL engineer and former competitor has been helping these Stuart teenagers build a robot from scratch, complete with high-power brushless motors and 3D vision systems, in a 6,000-square-foot warehouse provided by the Martin County School District this year.
The clock is ticking, and Zach Dean rushes to put the finishing touches on a robot minutes away from battling other machines. His high school robotics team, S.P.A.M., is preparing to enter the makeshift arena inside the Broward County Convention Center, where game controllers connected to laptops guide the robots through a speed and obstacle course.
FIRST robotics competitions, like this one at the Broward County Convention Center, create a stage for high school students to compete in obstacle courses with robots they built from scratch in just six weeks.
For the past six weeks, these Stuart teenagers have been building a robot from scratch, complete with high-power brushless motors and 3D vision systems, in a 6,000-square-foot warehouse provided by the Martin County School District this year.
It was an investment the community made for its schools, allowing them to expand science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs and reach more students.
Now, S.P.A.M. must compete against other high schools from around the world in the FIRST Robotics Competition (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Students wield power drills, hex keys, and laptops to fix any coding errors in the robot before the match.
“We learn to build, code, and wire robots,” Dean said. “I’m a mechanical lead, so I help design the robot and also build parts to protect it.”
High school students work against the clock to put the finishing touches on their robot before winning the regional competition at the Broward County Convention Center.
Dean credits the team’s mentor, Elizabeth “Lily” Pawlak, for expanding his machine skills and teaching him to use power tools and industrial machinery needed to build the robots.
Twelve years ago, Pawlak was a machinist for S.P.A.M. She also competes in the same competitions her mentees now participate in and creates robot parts from scratch.
Today, she is an equipment reliability engineer supporting Florida Power & Light Company’s (FPL) nuclear fleet.
This is Pawlak’s first year as a mentor and FPL’s twelfth year sponsoring the competition.
“I wanted to come back and mentor because I want to show them it’s not just something fun to do in high school, but it can really be an opportunity for the future,” Pawlak said. “I taught them from basic skills, like using a tape measure, to more advanced skills, like using a milling machine, a lathe, and computer numerical control machining.”
One of the main benefits of STEM education is helping students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which they can apply beyond the classroom. It also prepares them for success in a rapidly changing world driven by technology and innovation.
Stuart High School’s robotics team, S.P.A.M., puts the finishing touches on their robot before they must enter the battlefield. They won the last two Florida regionals and hope to win the upcoming championship in Texas.
Pawlak said robotics brought her closer to engineering. It also helped her start a career at FPL.
“Back then, I met a lot of amazing people, professionals who volunteered their time at these competitions, and I kept those connections throughout college,” she said. “These connections really make a difference for the kids involved. It shows them that companies care, that they’re interested in them, and that they have a future if they ever want to pursue career opportunities with them.”
Other FPL employees volunteered at the event as judges, mentors, emcees, referees, robot inspectors, and even robot doctors. FPL sponsors Robot Urgent Care, a portable machine shop where the company’s machinists and engineers repair broken robots so students don’t have to drop out of the competition.
Luckily, S.P.A.M. didn’t need a robot doctor this year.
The team took home first place and the Quality Award for their machine. Two weeks later, they also won the Tallahassee regional and hope to keep the streak alive at the upcoming FIRST Championship in Texas.
“It’s amazing to see all their hard work come to life,” Pawlak said. “These students feel great knowing that the county, the school board, and companies like FPL are investing in them, supporting them, and providing all the tools they need to succeed.”
FPL has opened its 2024 FPL Robotics Scholarship application to all public and private high school students in FPL’s service area with two or more years in a FIRST Tech Challenge or FIRST Robotics Competition. Interested students can submit their applications until May 15 at FPL.com/Education under STEM Grants and Scholarships.
Image:FPL
