Aliso Elementary students showcase robotics and ambassador programs to Carpinteria board

Aliso Elementary Principal Brett Wyberg and staff brought students to the Oct. 8 school board meeting to showcase the school’s robotics club, 5th-grade ambassador program and student council activities.

Crystal Marshall, who runs the elementary gifted-education program and the robotics club at Aliso, described the club’s curriculum for 4th and 5th graders: students study robotics history, demographics, real-world applications, and then build and modify robots while applying math (timed trials and averages). She said eight students are participating and outlined the club’s KWL (Know–Want–Learn) process and kinesthetic vocabulary supports.

Student speakers Roman (4th grade) and Jaden Benitez (5th grade) recounted their experiences: Roman said he had never been invited to a club before and enjoyed learning how robots can perform tasks; Jaden described building robots and the excitement of modifications and trials. Other students described ambassador duties—helping younger students at recess, assisting in the library and serving at the salad bar—and student-council responsibilities such as planning spirit weeks and producing a bilingual newscast.

Trustees asked whether students had visited the high-school robotics lab and commended the students’ poise and bilingual reporting. The board suggested future field trips and praised the student presenters for representing the district.

Next steps: staff said they plan a field trip to the high-school robotics lab; trustees encouraged continued bilingual student outlets and student leadership development.