Henderson schools spark interest in science with robotics
Fifth-grader Arturo Banuelos concentrates as he operates a remote-controlled robot in the cafeteria of Robert Taylor Elementary School, 144 Westminister Way.
Classmates Hayden Wheeler and Kai Sneed cheer him on as he directs the machine’s claw to hoist a plastic cup into the air.
“I have to tell all these young people that I am envious,” said Henderson City Councilman John Marz during a ceremony at the school. “I wish when I was their age that I could have tinkered around with (robots) like this and learned the importance of math and science in a fun and exciting way.”
Students and staff members kicked off the school’s robotics program and celebrated their partnership with Tronox, a company that produces titanium ore and titanium dioxide, Sept. 17.
The program was founded 12 years ago by Dr. Larry Pilon, a retired teacher of 36 years, to spark children’s interest in math and science as they build and program robots.
“I wanted kids to have hands-on experience in different aspects of science,” Pilon said. “It also gives them a chance to be more creative. What they can do with these robots is up to their imagination.”
Pilon taught himself how to build and operate the machines and said he spends a lot of his free time tinkering with different designs.
“I love a good challenge,” Pilon said. “I do it for the self-gratification, and then I tear it all apart and start on the next idea.”
About seven years ago, Pilon and the school’s principal, Janet Dobry, approached Tronox for a sponsorship, according to Henderson plant manager Rick Stater.
“When we first got involved, we only provided financial assistance,” Stater said. “Then (Pilon) asked if we could get some of our engineers involved, and we thought it was a great way to get more involved in the community.”
Alongside engineering, the program is also set to teach children the “language of mathematics” as they write programs for the robots to operate on.
“(Pilon) was very clear that the children are to build everything on their own. We don’t do anything for them,” Stater said. “If they need help, we ask them questions that guide them to solutions. It teaches them that sometimes they will fail several times before they succeed and not to give up.”
Tronox also sponsors the robotics club at Brown Junior High School, 307 Cannes St., and Basic High School, 400 Palo Verde Drive.
As the elementary and junior high schools feed into Basic, it makes it easier for students to continue their interest in robotics as they get older, according to Mark Reed, Basic High School robotics instructor and physics teacher.
“A lot of the time, younger students have this fascination with science and that sort of diminishes as they get older,” Reed said. “These clubs keep them interested in math and science and allow them to have a hands-on application of how the subjects really work. It teaches them that there is a real reason for finding something like the square root of 1.”
Marz told parents that their children’s involvement in the robotics program could prepare them for future careers.
“You’ve probably seen in the news a lot of hoopla about the Tesla plant up in Northern Nevada,” Marz said. “It opens a whole new door to Nevada as far as science and engineering and manufacturing is concerned, and it’s things that these kids are doing today that are going to prepare them to work in those exciting new industries.”
The program supports one of Pilon’s top philosophies: It’s more important to learn how to apply knowledge than to memorize answers to get good grades.
“These children have a desire to learn, and that’s the type of kids I want leading our society,” Pilon said. “The desire to learn and apply what you learn, that is the key to success.”
For more information, visit schools.ccsd.net/taylor or tronox.com.
Contact Henderson View reporter Caitlyn Belcher at cbelcher@viewnews.com or 702-383-0403.