ILA’s Robotics Team – Western Edge FIRST LEGO League Open

Story

Imhotep’s Legacy Academy (ILA), an initiative between Dalhousie University and various community partners, provides programs intended to support and enrich the knowledge of S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects amongst students of African heritage in grades 6 – 12 throughout Nova Scotia. The FIRST Lego League program is one of our core programs which exposes the students to robotics programming, systematic problem solving, and instills core values like team work and professionalism.

This year our team participated at the NSCC Ivany Campus practice competition which helped them gain valuable feedback ahead of the Regional competition held at Acadia University. At the Acadia Robotics Regional Competition, our team won the Core Values award and ranked 3rd overall in the Champion category. The team developed an innovative solution to create an outlet for visually impaired persons, named the StylusX pen.

Despite numerous roadblocks, the team worked together to develop the StylusX. The team meets and works on their solution 6 hours a week with the FLL Mentors. When sessions couldn’t be held at the schools, they devoted their weekends to ensure that the solution was up to par. This trip will provide them with proper recognition for their efforts and give them an experience they will never forget!

Strategy

Substantially funded by Dalhousie University and working out of the ILA Learning Centre on the Sexton Campus, Dalhousie University students are hired to serve as mentors to junior high and high school kids in the HRM through Imhotep’s Legacy Academy (ILA). ILA has four core programs which provides support and engages students of African heritage in STEM studies from grade 6 to their post-secondary education at Dalhousie University. ILA Board members, majority of whom are Dalhousie faculty, also serve as mentors to the hired students, therefore creating a tri-mentorship system that has proved successful over the years.

This is evident in how far the FLL team has come with so much support. Approximately $25,000 will be required to cover the travel, accommodation and meal costs for 9 students, 1 Coach, 3 Mentors, and 1 teacher as a Chaperone over the 4 nights of the event.

The FLL team is currently working on the development and programming/hardware of the prototype using suggestions they received from the Acadia judges and guidance from their mentors. As they journey through the design process for their prototype they will look towards feedback from engineering professors at Dalhousie University to asses their prototype.

The team has taken this challenge heads-on and are excited about the trip and the possibilities that lie ahead.

Impact

The funds raised will provide the First Lego League Program students with the opportunity to attend this world-class event. They will get to meet and speak with peers and gain a broader perspective of the possibilities and potential they can achieve in STEM fields.

Also, this will serve as encouragement to other students in the community and create awareness for all the support systems that Dalhousie University, through ILA, have setup to empower our community.

To hear more about this amazing project, you can watch or listen to either of these segments with CBC.

If you would like more information about this campaign please reach out to Venna Penney at venna.penney@dal.ca. To mail a cheque please send to the Office of Advancement, 6389 Coburg Road, PO Box 15000, Halifax, NS B3H 2A5.