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Youth gear up for robotics competition

Above: Youth busy at work during the VEX IQ Robotics Compeition, put on by Martin County KnowHow, in Dec. 2019. The group will put on another competition on Saturday, Dec. 4 at Truman Public School.

FAIRMONT — Martin County KnowHow, a subcommittee of Project 1590, is putting on a VEX IQ youth robotics competition. The competition will take place at Truman Public School from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4.

Sam Viesselman, a member of the committee, said Martin County KnowHow aims to offer STEM enrichment for the community. While they’re focusing on youth right now, they’re open to adult enrichment opportunities as well.

The committee was formed in 2019 and the first robotics competition took place that year. While the intention was to hold them annually, none took place last year due to the pandemic.

This year’s competition is between about 40 students in 5th and 6th grade from Fairmont Elementary, Truman, Granada-Huntley-East Chain, and Martin County West.

Another competition with 3rd and 4th graders is slated to take place in early April.

“We were going to do it together but we actually had so much interest that we had split it up,” Viesselman said.

He said for the students at the various schools, robotics is an extracurricular activity they typically do after school.

“The equipment they’re using was purchased with a grant we received from the Martin County Area Foundation,” Viesselman said.

Viesselman said students were given a challenge or game to play and then instructed to build a robot, which includes designing, testing, wiring and a little bit of programming.

Students have been practicing on building their robots for weeks.

“A lot of the learning and prep takes place before the competition and the competition is kind of the celebration at the end,” Viesselman said.

In addition to the engineering, Viesselman said there is communication and teamwork involved.

“You meet someone from a different school and figure out how to work together to score the most points. That’s an important skill in general, especially among engineers,” Viesselman said.

He said through the competition they try to promote STEM and get kids interested in it.

“When you’re in elementary school, that’s one of the most important things, to say, ‘I want to go forward and learn more about this,’ and take what you learn in the classroom and apply it to something you care about,” Viesselman said.

When Viesselman was a student at Fairmont High School, the robotics team was formed and he joined as a sophomore. That was his first taste of robotics and he recognizes the importance of allowing kids to find something they’re interested in early on.

“As kids grow up they kind of form an identity around what they like. If we can make an enjoyment for science and engineering part of that identity, it can lead to college, a career and a good life,” he said.

Viesselman is now Fairmont High School’s robotics coach. He took over the position after moving back to Fairmont after college.

There are seven other community members on the Martin County KnowHow committee, including one contact person from each school involved in the robotics competition. It also includes people from local industries.

The Martin County KnowHow committee also put on a STEM summer camp and will be putting on a half-day 3D printing class next month.

“We’re trying to find things that are educational but fun,” Viesselman said.

Those on the committee understand the many benefits of STEM skills.

“There’s a growing demand for high skilled labor and that goes from programming to designing to skilled manufacturing and that’s all things that we’re doing with robotics,” Viesselman said.

He said even in rural America, a tractor on the road is really just a big robot.

“It applies to a lot more ways than people probably realize. The games we play might seem simple, but then it changes to, plant this seed in the ground,” he said.

The competition is open to the public. For more information on Martin County KnowHow visit mcknow.how.

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