Students learn lots from robots

Cooroy State School students continue to go high-tech and last week they found a great way to promote their highly anticipated Showcase Week at Cooroy Memorial Hall.
For the past six years, the Cooroy Community Bank branch of Bendigo Bank has provided thousands of Cooroy State School students with the opportunity to develop their technology skills by building their own robot through the school’s Lego Education Robotics Program.
Cooroy State School’s Melissa Lafferty was joined by Cooroy Community Bank branch manager Geoff Edwards at a presentation in the hall on Thursday 17 September as they watched the kids put the robots through their paces.
Melissa said the number of posters on show only strengthened the value the students place on the program provided by the bank.
“Our robotics program is an ideal way to captivate young minds and stimulate critical thinking,” she said.
“It teaches a wide range of skills such as problem solving as well as encouraging team work and co-operation.
“Students learn not only how to use technology but also how to create it.
“During Showcase Week the students will get the opportunity to show what they’ve learned and celebrate the program in front of friends, family and the Bendigo Bank representatives who have made this program possible.”
The program began in 2009 and sees groups of students working collaboratively on programming basic commands for P-3 (the Bee-Bots and We-Do’s), right through to challenging science or maths-based problems with open-ended solutions for Year 6 and 7 students.
Many of the robots are then able to be programmed to carry out specific commands.
As one of the only programs of its kind on the Sunshine Coast, Cooroy State School knows the school is onto a good thing.
“During our Showcase Week this week, it’s great to see the students present what they have come to value so greatly,” Mrs Lafferty said.
“They’re all so excited and, as a school, we were privileged to be able to deliver the robotics program right here in Cooroy. It’s a great initiative that sets us apart.”
Anyone who wants to know more about the robotics program can do so by calling Cooroy State School on 5472 2100 once the kids return from holidays on 6 October.