libraries or youth organizations that may have a team in place” and to do a simple online search for FIRST teams near (my town). Elementary and middle schoolers can try out the LEGO League Teams, middle schoolers can take on the Tech Challenge Team, and finally, grades 9–12 can join or start a Robotics Competition Team. Those who wish to start their own team can do so with the help of a variety of resources available at firstinspires.org/start-a-team. THE MANY BENEFITS OF ROBOTICS Learning while having fun is probably the top reason why curious kids should give robotics a try. Beyond that, there are a myr- iad of reasons how robotics can positively impact young learners, including building: ■ Creativity: The sky is the limit when it comes to robotics. From choosing the design to the tasks it will complete, there is a lot of room for thinking outside the box when it comes to robotics. ■ Problem-Solving Skills: Science is all about trial and error. When something goes wrong, the issue has to be identified and analyzed before finding a solution. ■ Critical Thinking Skills: “Why?” and “How?” are questions often asked in robot- ics, and the students are doing the answer- ing! Making hypotheses and predicting outcomes is a big part of robotics. ■ Teamwork: Each member of a robotics team has a unique skill set, making collab- oration a key to success. Teammates must communicate and truly work together for their robot to function properly. ■ Confidence: Every STEM project will have its ups and downs. Overcoming the downs and struggling through it will make the ups that much more of a victory. Know- ing that hard work pays off instills resil- ience and perseverance in students—they feel well-deserved pride! So… why try out robotics? This extracurric- ular or hobby encourages out-of-the-box thinking in kids. Encouraging naturally curious kids to continue asking “Why?” and “How come?” will yield adults who are creative problem solvers that think critically and work together. Confident adults will succeed in any career field they choose, STEM or not. So, never stop asking “Why”—stay curious and keep learning, readers; there is a pretty amazing world out there to discover.
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