Gaylord schools present FIRST Robotics project and STEM activities
Summary
School staff described the district's participation in the FIRST Robotics Competition game 'Reefscape' and ongoing robotics team work, including hardware adjustments and student involvement. The presentation highlighted student learning, diversity on the team and plans to recruit more participants.
District staff presented the Gaylord Community Schools robotics program and its participation in the 2025 FIRST Robotics Competition game, Reefscape.
A staff member summarized how Reefscape challenges teams to harvest and score coral, cooperate with opposing alliances and earn ranking points by meeting auto and scoring thresholds. The team is adjusting the robot's motor placement to increase available torque and strengthen a lever that currently cannot handle the load.
Presenters noted the team is small — five students including a foreign exchange student from St. Mary's and two female team members — and that coaches are emphasizing recruitment and outreach to increase participation. Staff said students observed other competitions and adjusted their strategy after seeing higher scores in some payload categories.
The presentation highlighted hands-on learning, problem solving and the value of learning from failure as part of the robotics experience. No formal board action was recorded on the robotics program during the meeting.
Robotics program details reported to the board include team composition (five students), one mechanical issue under repair (motor placement to increase torque), and plans for increased recruitment and parent outreach.
The district did not provide estimated program costs, competition dates beyond “early May,” or specific sponsorship details during the presentation.
