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Students outline decade-long ROV program, cite technical skills and competition success
Summary
Students and teacher presenters described a decade of the district ROV program, noting regional and world competition participation, engineering roles (mechanical, electrical, software), and skills gained; teacher Heidi Lang and student leaders asked the board and community to continue supporting the program.
Heidi Lang, an Orange Middle School teacher, introduced the district’s ROV (remotely operated vehicle) program and said it has grown since 2016 into a multi-age engineering pathway. "I am Heidi Lang. I teach at Orange Middle School," Lang told the board before turning the floor over to student team leaders to describe machine upgrades and competition experience.
Student presenters described specific technical improvements and the program’s competitive record. Melton Wallace, who identified himself as "the CEO of Warrington Aquatic Robotics," said the team upgraded buoyancy, reduced drag and added a two-claw mechanism that lets the robot hold two items instead of one. Michael Larson, a lead software engineer on his team, said he’s learned multiple programming languages and is developing AI image recognition to identify invasive crabs. The students noted the team attended the MATE ROV World Championships and had multiple top-20 finishes in past years.
Lang and the students emphasized educational outcomes in communication, teamwork and career exploration. The presentation included video highlights from competition and a description of regular practice times and community involvement. The teacher invited board members and the public to visit their lab and encouraged continued district support for materials and travel funding.
The board accepted the presentation and thanked the students and staff. No formal action on program funding took place at the meeting; the presentation and audience comments were part of the informational agenda.
