Chippewa Falls (WQOW) - An area
middle school is using destruction to build an education. The voyagers after
school program at Chippewa
Falls put students at the
controls of their own custom built robots today. It was a chance for students
to get a unique hands-on learning experience.
"There's only three
rules...No flamethrowers, no hand grenades, no live animals. That's it,"
said Tim Wolters, a volunteer for the Voyagers After-School Program.
The Chippewa Falls
cafeteria was turned into a gladiator arena Saturday.
"What we have is a
group of 24 middle school students, who with a budget of under $20 each, have
each built a combat robot that will drive around the arena, and push each other
into hazards and variously interact with each other," Wolters said.
It was the 13th annual machines
behaving badly event, part of the Chippewa Falls Voyagers After-School Program,
which mixes equal parts excitement and education.
"I have the wheels
under the robot so nothing can really hit it. And then I have a Lexan cover
around everything so nothing can really touch my electronics," said Sam
Strecker, a student at Chippewa
Falls Middle
School.
"I learned a lot
about tools, and how to make wheels out of Styrofoam, use a lot of duct tape,
cutting of wood," said Alissa Hering, also a student at Chippewa Falls
Middle School.
It's the sort of learning experience
that program staff members say is being left behind.
"We don't have
people tinkering the way we used to, taking stuff apart and putting it back
together. I have some kids who honestly, I'm not sure they know which end of
the screwdriver to hold on to. By the end of the class, they do know what end
of the screwdriver to hold on to, and the hot glue gun. And they've learned a
few things about design, electronics," Wolters said.
Some students enjoyed the battle so
much that they'll continue to work on their robots for next year.
"I
like sort of destroying stuff and taking stuff apart. And I learned I like
electronics, so it sort of went together," said Strecker.
The kids spent about 12 hours over
the course of several days working on their robots. The winner received a
trophy made of spare parts.
