Extension News: September 2011 Archives

Rogue Robotics Provide Basis for Larger Learning

“Having responsibility and being treated as an equal to other members of the team.”

“Learning leadership skills, learning responsibility and work ethic.”

What better way to celebrate National 4-H Week Oct. 2-8 than with a group of youth who epitomize that being a part of 4-H is all about breaking through obstacles and pushing forward by making a measureable difference right where they live.

As 4-H’ers across the country get ready to National 4-H Week, here in New Hampshire is a team that exudes confidence, passion and practical skills that will prepare them to step up to the challenges of our complex, changing world.

The Rogue Robots of 4-H from Charlestown may have started small, but the group has flourished with the guidance of Carol McShane, and the support of the community.

What they learn

The structured learning, encouragement and adult mentoring that young people receive through their participation in 4-H plays a vital role in helping them achieve future life successes.

As McShane explains, her son was involved in 4-H, but it wasn’t until they attended a 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) 4-H conference on the UNH campus, that led them down the path of robots.

“We made great connections,” she says, and in the process, “we learned a lot.”

A stipulation of the scholarship money they received for attending the conference was to bring something back to their community, forming a 4-H club with a focus on science, engineering and technology, where they began working on science activities with McShane and co-leader Kristen Pennell serving as their science leaders.

McShane had taken a robotics class at the SET conference, and she found her son was interested, along with some of his friends, so they started their original FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League team.

“None of us knew anything about robotics going in, and what my co-leader and I realized pretty quickly, was that Lego robotics is a great way to engage kids in science, engineering and technology. We found the program also provided a vehicle for leadership and teamwork and so many other life skills,” McShane added.

Growing with 4-H

“We just saw incredible growth in how they worked together,” she added.

Two years ago, the team decided to go with larger robots, but they needed $10,000 to get the team up and running. They worked hard at community service projects, including using their bicycle maintenance skills to build bikes for kids in the community, and receiving support from community members to begin their journey with the larger robots.

“We were so excited about the Lego robotics, and the kids put together a workshop for leaders on how to bring Lego robotics into their club as a community service project. They presented at a local leaders’ workshop that was very well-received. We wanted to let them know you can do it, and the kids will get it.  The club also presented the workshop at the Northeast Regional Volunteer Forum (NERVF) in Delaware in 2010.

The team still needed money, so McShane approached Linda Davies, director of the Family School Connection program in Claremont, who connected McShane with the Claremont shop teacher, Scott Pope, and SAU 6 superintendent, Jacqui Guillette.

“They jumped right on board, we began using the shop space, got a team together in January and we were off and running,” she added, with the team competing in four separate venues. “We learned a lot at our first competition in Manchester because we didn’t really know what we were getting into. Then we had three weeks until the next qualifying tournament in Hartford, where we were the second highest seeded rookie team.”

As the team grew and expanded, the members also discovered what being a part of 4-H means to them. They weren’t familiar with club structures or community service at first; McShane says she got “blank stares.” But as the group progressed, she praises their efforts of “growing into a 4-H model.”

Team co-captain and club vice president Hannah Murray said being a part of the team “taught me that it's possible to do anything with a variety of people. It's taught me how to work with others and how to build from the smallest idea.”

“Being part of the team will better prepare me for the future because we have to learn to work as a team, adapt to new challenges, help others, and overcome obstacles,” she added.

Club treasurer Isaac McIntire found that “working together is important to accomplishing a task. If everyone isn’t onboard with it, it won’t get done.”

The high school team now has 15 youth involved, six other adult mentors, and is focused on getting ready for the robotic competition in January, mentoring two FIRST Lego League teams at the Claremont Middle School, setting up community service projects and fundraising.

“We are so fortunate to have incredible mentors and leaders who volunteer their time and bring joy of teaching to the team,” says McShane, “and a community that wholeheartedly supports all we do.” 

McShane also points out that their team website (www.roguerobotsof4h.com), designed by team member Hannah Murray, keeps the team connected with the community.

Their next FIRST Lego robotics competition in November will be at Dartmouth with the two middle-school teams, and then January, the high school team will begin its competition season. “It’s timed nicely so you can do everything in a school year with very little overlap,” commented McShane

Is it worth it?

While McShane says that after three years, she feels exhausted and overwhelmed, she has no regrets.  “I can’t imagine not being a part of the magic that happens in these programs. I’ve seen kids who started who didn’t really know why, but who are now in leadership positions.”

The Umbrella of 4-H

McShane points to 4-H as “our umbrella – I can’t even imagine doing this without their emotional, financial and administrative support – and the kids know the adults are excited for them.” The 4-H Foundation of New Hampshire provides support to the team.

“ My kids are convinced they have the chops to go to the nationals this year. 4-H and SET are what really started it off for us, and we’re thrilled to bring that back to the community. I keep telling the kids that with 4-H, you can take it in so many directions.”

The Rogue Robotics are shown in the above photos, as a group, top right and bottom left. Senator Jeanne Shaheen is shown with member Ian McShane in the second photo.

More 4-H Resources:

Be a part of a 4-H National Youth Science experiment Oct. 5 - learn more.

UNH Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program

Preparing Volunteers for Todays 4-H Workshop Oct. 29

Participate in the Swimming Pool Survey from July 11 - August 26, 2011

The Asian longhorned beetle is a serious threat to our forests and trees. As far as we know it isn't in New Hampshire, yet. We need many people looking for it so we can take steps to limit its spread, if it arrives here.

...go to the ALB Pool Survey web site

UNH Cooperative Extension launches a new campaign to fight bullying and peer victimization among New Hampshire students October 4 at the Red River Theater in Concord.

Courage to Care

“Courage to Care,” a curriculum designed to develop positive school culture and climate among middle school students, will debut with local students who were actors in the curriculum’s “video jolts.” This effort is enhanced by a nearly $133,000 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a division of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.

The new program is the brainchild of UNH Cooperative Extension’s Dr. Malcolm Smith, Dr. Rick Alleva and Extension Family and Consumer Resources Educator Thom Linehan, as well as staff from UNH’s Browne Center and Department of Social Work.

"Video Jolts" Curriculum

Through early support from the N.H. Endowment for Health, the team created a curriculum that uses “video jolts,” directed and filmed by Manchester’s Heartwood Media, in combination with challenge activities and experiential learning, to develop student’s social and emotional learning in the areas of dealing with group pressure, compassion, kindness, courage and assertiveness.

The USDA funding will support testing of the program’s effectiveness with three rural school districts in New Hampshire, as well as to train faculty and staff from those districts on how to use the program. Dr. Patrick Shannon, an associate professor of Social Work at UNH, is developing an evaluation of the program’s effectiveness in changing school culture around bullying. If the program proves successful, the team plans to distribute it at minimal cost throughout New Hampshire and the nation.

First in Nation

“This will be the first program of its kind in the nation that we know of,” Smith said, who is spearheading the project. “We are really trying to see if we can motivate students to make their schools safer and more friendly places to learn. If it works, we want to share it with everyone.” The program will also include training for parents of children who participate in the study, on how to deal with bullying on a family level.

In June, 25 young actors and actresses from across New England volunteered to act in the videos, and production was overseen by Heartwood Media’s Creative Director, Chris Conroy. The students and their families donated their time and talents to the project, to ensure it represented real life in New Hampshire’s schools.

The purpose of these short “video jolts” is to engage the students in thinking about real-life situations in which their behavior could change the outcome for someone who is being picked on, excluded, or being put down.

At the October 4 private premiere, the actors and actresses and their parents will view the videos for the first time. This effort is designed to help New Hampshire schools implement the student training requirement of the New Hampshire Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention Act that was updated in 2010. The law requires schools to become more pro-active in cases of student bullying, as well as providing training to teachers, parents and students on the topic.

For more information about this curriculum, contact Dr. Smith at Malcolm.smith@unh.edu, or at 603-862-7008.

Other resources:

Understanding Bullying: Information for Parents and Parent Educators