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Students and mentors ask board for clearer contact and timeline after robotics relocation; funding shortfall cited
Summary
Students representing Walled Lake Consolidated Schoolsdistrict robotics teams raised concerns about relocation during Western High School construction, restricted access at the interim facility, outdoor storage of tools, and lost sponsorships that threatened attendance at state competitions.
Students and mentors from the district's high school robotics program spoke during public comment to request clearer district point(s) of contact, a timeline for returning to school facilities and help with funding after relocation disrupted their season.
Mika Glick, a junior at Walled Lake Northern, and Frazine Cavarana, a sophomore at Walled Lake Western, said the district team (robots 308 and 7178) relocated this season to the Oakland Schools Technical Campus (OSTC) while Western was under construction. Glick said the OSTC arrangement allowed the season to continue but imposed limitations: teams could not stay past 8:30 p.m., access required a lead mentor to be present, workspace was limited and many materials were stored in an outdoor shipping container. "All of our materials were inside of a shipping container, which was stored outdoors at the OSTC facility, forcing us to venture outside every single time we needed tools over the course of the winter," Glick said.
Cavarana asked the board for a date or a specified timeline for moving back into the new Western facility, saying the team would ideally need access by June to prepare for the next robotics season and off-season events. The students also said they lost corporate sponsors this year and would not have been able to attend state competition if they had qualified. Mentors asked whether the board could identify who in the district is responsible for coordinating the move and ongoing communication; Superintendent Doctor Lanz and board members said public comment is not a back-and-forth forum but indicated staff will follow up.
Why it matters: The robotics teams represent students from all three district high schools and require reliable workspace, storage and funding to compete. Students asked the district for practical information (a move-back date and a district contact) and for consideration of funding avenues. Board members directed staff to accept contact cards from students so they can follow up.
What students asked for: a specific move-back date (ideally by June), a named district contact for coordination and assistance identifying potential funding supports or sponsorship avenues.
