North Buncombe Middle School
Robotics / Project Lead the Way
Mina Haas and Aiden Millican work on a robot for the VEX Robotics Competition.
Corbin Cox and Kaitlyn Douglas use sensors to program their robot to follow a line autonomously.
By Stacia Harris, Communications Department
BCS middle schoolers have many opportunities to prepare for tomorrow through career-oriented classes and clubs. Career and Technical Education encompasses many different disciplines at the middle and high school level. Project Lead the Way( PLTW) and Technology Student Association focus on project-based lessons in math, science, and engineering.
“ It allows students to develop and use skills that are needed for college and future careers, like collaboration, problem solving and communication,” said PLTW teacher Allison McDevitt.“ They are constantly working through the engineering design process, finding problems, adding solutions to innovate, and feel successful with their work.”
Ms. McDevitt’ s students build and program robots, and some of those robots are entered into various competitions. She says her students learn to persevere through failures and collaborate to find the design or programming solution that will bring their robots to life.
“ I am honored to have a hand in facilitating their learning process, and I love seeing students progressing to make their goal into reality,” McDevitt said.“ I get to witness young minds connect pieces of the puzzle, so they can say‘ this was OUR solution, how we accomplished it, and how we could make it better.’”
Agriculture and Future Farmers of America( FFA)
20
“ Students learn best when they connect what is taught in class to the larger world outside of school and are able to have hands-on experiences.”
- Dave Penland, Agriculture teacher.
At North Buncombe Middle School, students can count on their classes to provide practical, real-world experiences. One of these classes is focused on agriculture, and many of the students found there are interested in joining the Future Farmers of America( FFA) club when they go on to high school. The disciplines learned in the class are under the academic umbrella of Career and Technical Education.