High school students develop tech skills in summer robotics internship

By Brian Zahn, bzahn@newhavenregister.com @brizahn on Twitter

Photo: Brian Zahn / Hearst Connecticut Media

ESUMS student George Shelton demonstrates driving the Yo(unity) Bot 3.0 from an app on his phone.

ESUMS student George Shelton demonstrates driving the Yo(unity) Bot 3.0 from an app on his phone.

New Haven high schoolers develop tech skills in summer robotics internship

NEW HAVEN >> Following five grueling weeks of developing a cost-effective robotics kit, 15 aspiring entrepreneurs presented and defended their product before investors.

Later this month, they return to high school.

Fifteen New Haven Public Schools students with an interest in engineering got this chance to be entrepreneurs as they were selected to partake in a paid internship program sponsored by the Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program, with financial backing by Liberty Bank. The interns, challenged to develop inexpensive robotics kits for middle school students, were compensated with $1,000 for the five weeks.

Each of the kits had to be acquirable for less than $55, the interns were told, with all the mechanical structures and electrical components needed to build a robot. One of the four teams, a public relations team, was also tasked with developing a manual for middle school students on how to use the kit.

What we want to see is an excitement and passion for STEM, said Sade Owoye, a project manager for CPEP.

Mikayla Osumah, a rising senior at Engineering and Science University Magnet School, said it was indeed her passion for STEM that led her to the internship. She said things clicked into place for her when she built a drone for a class project, and she began to realize several possibilities that could be explored through manufacturing and engineering.

Didacus Oparaocha, a teacher who leads and coaches the interns through the program, said he sees a direct benefit for the students, most of whom come from low-income families.

One of the main goals is poverty elevation, he said. I believe STEM is an answer to solving poverty.

As an employee at Sikorsky Aircraft, Oparaocha said he wants the students to have an even higher quality of life than he has, after moving from Nigeria to Italy and then to Michigan and Connecticut.

The CPEP staff said the program is meant to give students relevant work experience to prepare for careers.

We believe if you give students an opportunity for a real work opportunity, showing up every day on time and dressed professionally, it gives them chances to succeed as entrepreneurs, said Kathy Ciullo, CPEP chief financial officer and director of operations. Were trying to give them provable hands-on opportunities.

One of those opportunities was preparing a presentation during which they would ask CPEP Executive Director David Beam for the funding to carry out the robotics kit project.

Further, in addition to developing a prototype for an affordable robotics kit and considering the costs of materials and labor, students were made to practice communicating and explaining their work.

Were taking the proper steps to be professional, said ESUMS rising senior Donavon Chisolm.

Rising ESUMS senior George Shelton called it an internship you can take further in life.

Shelton said he would like to pursue electrical engineering and automation after he graduates from high school.

District officials said they believe the program offers practical applications for lessons taught in the classroom.

Kenneth Mathews, the school districts math curriculum supervisor, said he believes the interest in the program among students is tenfold its capacity.

The skills theyve learned will serve them throughout their lives, Mathews said. Many have shaped what they want to pursue in college.

After asking the interns approximately a dozen questions on the skills theyve learned from five weeks of work such as about whether any challenge is too difficult for them to overcome, about the value of teamwork or about whether a career can be fun were a few examples Beam said he has worked with engineers at all different levels, and he is certain all of them could have benefited from the type of early job training offered by the program CPEP has to offer.

Originally posted here:

New Haven high schoolers develop tech skills in summer robotics internship - New Haven Register