Category: robotics

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Ontario’s Elementary Learning Choice Programs Motivate Middle School Students

Ontario offers many regional learning choice programs for elementary students heading into middle school. Finding a program that keeps your child engaged and empowered can help avoid some of the academic pitfalls of the transition from elementary to middle school. It may seem like a lot of pressure to apply for a special program when your child is in elementary school, but there is research that suggests that working with motivated peers in a challenging environment can keep students moving toward success.

It’s important to keep up student interest when transitioning to middle school.

Programs for students interested in STEM include the Middle Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate and the SciTech program. Students whose interest in STEM is entrepreneurial would thrive in the International Business and Technology (IBT) program.

The Middle Years Programme from the International Baccalaureate (IB) is the program designed for students from ages 11–16. It’s a 5-year program, but in most Ontario schools this program runs from grade 6–8, which is common for the curriculum. This program introduces students to a cohort of highly-motivated peers working on learning that is attached to real world applications, in addition to following Ontario’s standard curriculum. There are 8 subject areas for students to focus on, and they must spend at least 50 hours on instruction in each area. The areas include: language acquisition, language and literature, individuals & societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical & health education, and design. The IB Global Research department has studied the impact of their Middle Years Programme and found that IB students were “on-task” 87% of the time, compared to 73% of the time for general education students. That equates to 8.4 minutes more time on task per hour, and almost an hour for a whole day of school.

The sciences and mathematics programs will be most interesting for STEM students, but the middle grades are also a time to develop core competencies in a wide range of subject areas. Language, design, and social sciences (individuals & societies) are helpful to even the most die-hard STEM enthusiast. Communicating your ideas and seeing how they impact others is crucial for any field. Global contexts and critical thinking are all core components of the Middle Years Programme.

Being accepted to the IB Middle Years Programme does not guarantee acceptance into the IB Diploma Programme in secondary school. However, students who study in the Middle Years Programme will likely be better prepared for the Diploma Programme if they’re not ready to move on to something else.

For a more hands-on experience, students can choose a Sci Tech program. This program also follows Ontario curriculum standards but focuses on technological inquiry, including robotics, coding, 3D printing, and video editing/animation, where facilities allow. The program focuses on stewardship, competence, and insight as driving ideas for inquiry-based education. Where the standard curriculum would build one model or test one application, the sci tech program spends much more time on complex building projects and invests more time in hands-on activities. Students build and then re-design based on feedback so they can continuously improve their designs. Students in SciTech often compete in local competitions like the Beaver Computing Challenge at the University of Waterloo.

Just like the IB Middle Years Programme, being placed in the SciTech program in the middle years does not guarantee placement in secondary regional learning choice programs. Similarly, not getting into the elementary program does keep a student from being accepted into the secondary SciTech program. The two are independent of one another.

Students who like to innovate may thrive in the IBT program.

A program that combines technology with entrepreneurial skills is the International Business and Technology (IBT) program. Students are encouraged to have their own device to use daily for hands-on, collaborative learning with a business focus. In this program, technology is used to further business inquiry and facilitate risk-taking like public presentations and videos. There is less focus on the nuts and bolts of building and designing as there would be in the SciTech program, but if your child loves to design new plans or innovative responses to problems, the IBT program might be a good experience. Marketing, social media, and communication are big elements of this program as well.

Applications for Elementary programs are due at the end of January in the Peel Region, but check your local school for details. Information sessions are being held now. Here is a link from the Ministry of Education for finding your elementary school: https://www.app.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/sift/index.asp Admission is often based on marks and feedback from grade 4 and 5 teachers, among other factors.

For competitive programs, any student who meets the requirements for special elementary programs is put in a drawing for a place in the program. Your child could meet all the requirements and do well on the assessments but still not get a place in their chosen program. These are situations to remember that such programs are helpful and interesting but not deal breakers for your child’s future.

Since the elementary and secondary programs of choice are not linked, families might consider layering special programs to target the interests of their children. For example, an entrepreneurial STEM student might benefit from the IBT program in middle school and a more comprehensive Advanced Placement or IB program in secondary school.

Choosing a special elementary program is a balancing act between your student’s interests and inclinations and their emotional and social wellbeing. Your child’s happiness and motivation is the most important metric for making educational decisions in the middle years.

Supportive coaching helps keep student interest alive.

At Zebra Robotics, students can start learning about STEM as early as grade 1, with the basics of coding, robotics, and technology. Being involved in competition helps keep students invested in learning and can bridge the achievement gap between elementary and middle school. For more information, see www.zebrarobotics.com.

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2023: From Panama to the Podium: Three Teams, Three Stories of Growth

WRO 2023

In 2023, Zebra Robotics brought three teams to Panama City, Panama for the World Robot Olympiad Internationals — and the results ranged from a historic, country-first podium finish to hard-fought lessons that set the stage for next season.

The Oceanic Pioneers — Dave Grewal and Shourya Seth — competed in the Future Innovators category with a project tackling a real-world maritime problem: a magnetic robot capable of climbing a ship’s hull vertically to clean it while docked, cutting cleaning time enough to save up to 30% in fuel costs. The idea resonated at every level. The team took first place at both Regionals and Nationals, then went on to win the Silver Medal at the World Finals — marking the first ever podium finish for Canada at a WRO International event. Zebra Robotics is proud to have been the team that brought that milestone home.

The Energizerz — Christian Dal Dosso, Madhes Kamal, and Tej Shah — took on RoboSports, one of WRO’s most physically demanding categories, where robots compete head-to-head in real time. The team finished first at Canada Nationals to punch their ticket to Internationals, where they advanced all the way to the quarterfinals — going up against teams stacked with university-level competitors. For a team built entirely of Grade 9 students, reaching that stage of the bracket was a remarkable result, and a sign of real things to come.

Miracle Monkeys — Vishnu Jeyakumar, Advik Bhagavatula, and Shlok Raval — competed in Robo Mission Junior, bringing real consistency to the competition. They opened strong on Day 1, finishing in the top 30, then came back on Day 2 to complete more than half the mission, closing out the event in the top 40% overall. For a young team, it was a result packed with lessons — and a clear sense of unfinished business heading into next season.

A historic podium finish, a deep playoff run against older competitors, and a strong learning experience — together, the three teams captured exactly what Zebra Robotics aims for at every WRO: ambitious ideas, real engineering, and the drive to keep improving.

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First Win for Milton Christian School’s Robotics Team

At Zebra Robotics, we are proud of all of our robotics teams, but we are especially delighted when a team first reaps the rewards of their collaboration and determination. Milton Christian School (MCS)’s Republic of MCS is just such a team. 

Republic of MCS is advancing to provincial competition in First Lego League (FLL) after their first-ever win at regional competition on December 9, 2023. Provincials will be held at Durham College in Oshawa, ON on January 20, 2024.

Republic of MCS at Regionals

“I knew the students and coaches were working hard these past few months,” said MCS Principal Howie Martin. “It was nice to see their hard work pay off.” 

Throughout their preparation, the team worked most on collective problem-solving skills. Teamwork is an essential element of doing well at FLL competitions, and Republic of MCS honed those skills over months of work. 

“The chief strength of our FLL team lies in our collaborative and innovative approach to robotics challenges,” said Coach Tahmoor. “Since the MCS team has members from grades 6 to grade 8, each member brings a unique perspective and set of skills to the table.” 

Initially, each grade had its own approach to solving the problem, but it was only after the team worked together and refined a solution that they could beat the competition and win the Robot Design Award for a robot that is “mechanically sound, durable, efficient and highly capable.”

“I definitely think that this win will have an incredible impact on STEM education at our school,” said Catherine Magat, MCS teacher and coach. “I also hope that we would see STEM education be a positive influence on the students, particularly in encouraging them to explore STEM fields.” Principal Martin agrees that he hopes more students will participate in robotics next year and beyond. 

The team is proud of the win and eager to get to work for provincials. The wider MCS community is rallying behind the team as well. According to Magat, “The school has been so supportive of the team and are proud of what they have accomplished.” 

Coach Tahmoor wins the Coach/Mentor Award

Republic of MCS is now practicing the various challenges to perfect their robot and increase their score to hopefully do well enough at provincials to qualify for nationals.

In addition to advancing to provincials and winning the Robot Design Award, the team celebrates Coach Tahmoor, from Zebra Robotics, who won a Coach Award for his mentorship and leadership for the MCS team. 

Zebra has been partnering with Milton Christian School (MCS) for three years, offering robotics curriculum in the school and coaching a robotics team. Zebra Robotics offers courses in its many locations throughout the GTA, in addition to partnering with specific schools. Zebra also sponsors the STRIPE Competition to help students test and develop their STEM and collaboration skills.

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Writing History Today, for the Competitors of Tomorrow

Months. It had been months of tweaking, tinkering, and labouring over their various robots in preparation for the World Robotic Olympiad (WRO) Internationals. The students would come in whenever they had the time to spare between school and clubs. They worked weeknights and weekends on their projects, readying themselves for the challenge ahead. But as November 7-9 approached, they finally felt ready to represent Canada on the world stage.

            As the competition date approached, they traveled down by plane to Panama City, anticipating stiff competition. They pulled into their hotels and began tinkering and tweaking some more. Their families were behind them. Canada was behind them. Zebra Robotics was behind them. They were ready to perform.

Showing the team
The RoboMission and RoboSports members travelling to the event.

The WRO stage was electric. Teams from all over the world were primed, ready to show off the skills they’d worked so very hard on. The first up were the RoboMission competitors. This was our team’s first WRO International and they were grade 8 competitors in a sea of high schoolers. But the team wasn’t discouraged. They did some final tweaks, then set their robot to work on this year’s themed challenges. After a hard-fought battle, they were defeated. But our RoboMission team took it in stride and have learned from the experience. Nimbler designs, tighter programming, and an anticipatory mindset can be expected for next year, when they rise to the challenge again.

The RoboMission Team with their robot

RoboSports were up next. Like the RoboMission team, they had never experienced a WRO International before. They too were also among the youngest in the category, going against university and college level students. With some final tweaks, they finely tuned their robot. The game? Table tennis. Throughout the first day, they were nigh unstoppable. They won match after match, carving out a 3-0 lead by the afternoon. But, as with RoboMission, experience tipped the scales more than expected. By day two, our RoboSports team fell behind, beaten back by more experienced teams. Placing 30th, they were proud to have made it that far. They felt that they had learned a lot from the experience and took notes on the losses they had so that they could come back next year, stronger than ever.

The RoboSports team talking to a judge

This just left our Future Innovators team of Dave Grewal and Shourya Sheth. If you’ve been keeping along with our blog, you know that they had designed a robot to help combat biofouling on cargo ships. The robot would scale the sides of the cargo ships, removing biomaterial. This, in turn, would help reduce the spread of invasive species and improve fuel efficiency on the vessel. The idea is incredible on its own, but the competition isn’t just judged on idea alone. The team also must effectively communicate the idea, present confidently, and push the benefits of their innovative project.

            The team had practiced their pitch numerous times by this point. They even had hands-on experience presenting at an Oakville fair that Zebra attended, as well as at a celebration event for MPPs Nina Tangri and Deepak Anand. They were confident. They were ready.

            As the competition kicked off, the judges milled about from project to project, assessing and critiquing. After a table was judged, other teams would flood the table, asking questions about the judges, what they were looking for, how hard their questions would be, etc. But our team was confident in their position and patiently waited at their table for judgement. When asked about the experience Dave noted, “Throughout the first day of the competition, I felt confident during three of the judging sessions…although there lingered a slight nervousness and intimidation from the impressive projects presented by others.”

The Future Innovators Team taking a photo with the Judges

The first pair of judges came and went. They were stoic, giving away nothing of their feelings about our Future Innovators’ idea. The only feedback came in the form of more judgement. Another pair of judges. Another set of hard questions. Scribbling on paper. A thank you. Moving on.

            Day one finished, and our team was still in the running. They were ecstatic, proud of their ability to articulate themselves and their idea so thoroughly. As day two started, they put on their finest. Once more, judges passed through the booths, with tougher and tougher questions, testing the intricate knowledge of the teams. However, for the first part of the day, the judges steered clear of our competitors booths. Shourya said, “I was disappointed when we didn’t have callbacks because we felt our presentations went really well.”  But as the day rolled on, eventually, the judges turned their sights on our competitors. Dave commented, “The unexpected turn of events heightened my confidence.” Steeled by their previous experiences, our team effortlessly answered any curveballs that came at them, demonstrating that they had thoroughly thought out their innovative design.

            And then it was over. After 8 relentless rounds of judging, the day finished, and the winners would be decided after a long round of deliberation. They packed up their project and waited for several agonizing hours to see if their hard work prevailed.

            And we are proud to say that it did.

            When the winners were announced, our team was honoured to hear that they placed Second in the Future Innovators—Senior category with their project on biofouling. History was made, as they stepped up to the podium to receive their award, as this is the first time Canada has ever made it into the top 3 since 2014, when Canada first joined WRO. Holding up the Canadian flag, Dave and Shourya stood proud of their accomplishments, excited to have written a paragraph in history.

Dave and Shourya posing with their trophy

When asked how they felt about their win, Shourya said, “The most rewarding part of the competition was learning how to build more complicated and industrial robots aside from Lego, which could actually be used to benefit the world.”  Dave commented, “The most rewarding aspect was establishing friendships and connections with participants from various countries. I gained valuable insights from diverse perspectives, including those of fellow competitors, investors, coaches, and representatives from other nations.”

            If you get a chance, ask Shourya and David about their innovative project, as well as their experiences at WRO. They would be more than happy to share.  

            With the WRO Internationals over, we are proud to say that we successfully represented Canada on the world stage. Like our students, we learned a lot from the competition, and now know what we need to teach our students to better prepare them for future competitions. We will be ready for the next WRO competition, and we hope you will be there alongside us, cheering on the students once more. Thank you for reading!

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Hard Work Deserves Celebration

Just this past weekend, we had an incredibly important celebration for our national and international World Robotics Olympiad (WRO) competitors! Wanting to celebrate their achievements we had been hard at work setting up a small event for the kids this Saturday, with demonstrations, speeches, and of course, food. But behind the scenes, Jami had been toiling away on another secret project. Equipped with a silver tongue, she managed to invite and convince some of our local MPP’s to come down and show their support for our hard-working students as well! MPP’s Nina Tangri and Deepak Anand were more than delighted to make an appearance, and honour the competitors, even bringing special awards recognizing their triumphs.

Parents were the first to arrive, catching up with one another, as well as sharing their experiences of the national finals. The kids mingled among each other, either grabbing food, or checking up on their robots, fine tuning them before the MPPs arrivals. Not too long after, the ministers rolled in, and the teams were ready to show off all their hard work. The Future Innovators delivered their well-crafted presentation and demonstration of their robot to combat biofouling. The RoboMission team showed off their robots’ agility and precision by picking up, carrying, and carefully placing rings. In a new twist on RoboSports, the autonomous robots played against the MPPs who tossed the balls back as if they were a robot team. 

The Future Innovators Team show off their robot to combat biofouling. MPP Nina Tangri asks questions about the project.

After the festivities, speeches were held by founder Satish, alongside the wonderful MPP’s. They congratulated the students and encouraged them to keep reaching for the stars, as who else but the next generation would be able to grasp them. Then each team was awarded a special certificate, recognition from the Government of Ontario for their accomplishments. Parents and coaches alike burst into applause as the teams received their awards, handed to them by both Nina Tangri and Deepak Anand.  Finally, the teams going to Panama were presented with the Canada jerseys they will wear throughout the WRO competition, and they had a chance to pose with the Canadian flag. 

The teams going to WRO Internationals pose with the coaches and MPPs Nina Tangri and Deepak Anand.

As the event came to a close, students went back to their parents, receiving smiles, hugs, and words of affirmation. It was a brilliant sendoff for our international competitors and a proud recognition of our national competitors after all their hard work.

Stay posted to our blog and social media for updates on the international teams as they travel to Panama in two weeks’ time. As we cheer on the international competitors, we are already gearing up for the FLL season and starting a new season of STRIPE Competition. Stay tuned for updates on both of those as well! Thank you for reading!

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Good Things Always Come In 3’s!

If you’ve been keeping up with our blog you might remember us previously mentioning that we were going to Panama for the World Robotic Olympiad (WRO) International. Two teams earned their spot through ingenious concepts, and hard work. If you haven’t read up on it, you can do so [here]. However, good things always come in 3s!

            Just last weekend, in Kingston, Ontario, more of our teams battled for a spot in the WRO Internationals. The competition was not only fierce, but it was close. Two of our teams came close to victory that day with incredible performances that had people cheering. The first of the teams performed incredibly well, their robot avoiding obstacles and navigating on its own absurdly well. However, its competition was just as skillful, and both teams were neck and neck on the leaderboards. As a result, judges needed more time to review the performance of each robot and to double-check the tally of points to see who would come out on top. In the end, the judges gave their verdict, and our team came in second. A mere minor bump against an obstacle cost our team 2 points, and it was enough to drop us down to second place.

Team v^3, Future Engineers

            While they won’t be going onto the WRO competition, they still came second overall, and performed exceptionally well at the event. They are proud of their hard work, as they put up such an impressive fight in the robotic ring. We too are proud of them and are eager to see their hard work pay off again next year. But they weren’t the only ones who were gunning for Panama.

            Our other team also had a shot at the internationals, and they fought hard to try and get there. After performing very well in previous events, it came down to a tennis match to see who would go down to Panama in November. Their rival was another competent team, and had performed well so far, and so our team steeled itself for a hard fight.

The team preparing their bots for the tennis match

            The first match was tight, with the tennis balls being slung back and forth at rapid pace. It looked like we would take the lead, but the other teams robots ensured that just wouldn’t happen. Slowly, but surely, they took the advantage and closed out the match in the lead. We had lost. But thankfully, that was only the first of 3 matches.

            The second match began shortly after the first, and we were looking to avenge our previous loss. The balls went back and forth between the courts, but we gained the lead relatively quickly all things considered. The opposing team didn’t give up easily however, and we had to work to keep our advantage. But as the timer rang out, we firmly cemented our win, evening the scores between us and them.

            It all came down to that 3rd and final match. Electricity was in the air as it began, both teams knowing what was on the line. The match was close. Everyone kept their eyes on the table, holding their breath and clenching their fists. As the balls flung, people started to lose count as to who was in the lead. We could have been leading. We could have been losing. But then, tragedy struck. As our robots flung the tennis balls, we noticed not as many were returning. One of the rival teams’ robots had gotten stuck. Squished between the wall, it lay motionless, unable, or unwilling, to fight any longer. As the buzzer rang out, we exploded in joyous celebration. We had won, securing our place in the internationals.

Ready to represent Canada in Panama!

            Now, our teams gear and tool their robots to be ready for the big event. This November we will fight again, this time for Canada, as we once more try to secure first place in the WRO competitions. They will be flying out to Panama City in November, battling it out on the world stage between the 7th and the 9th. While tickets are unavailable, we will keep you informed on how the competition goes. We will see you again then!

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Representing Canada on the World Stage

The two teams advancing to Panama.

Last month, Sunday June 4th, marked the WRO National Finals in which eleven Zebra Robotics teams fiercely competed using the knowledge and skills they acquired over the curriculum. This time and effort they put into learning and innovating paid off, as the teams collected six awards, including three first place positions, one second place position, and two third place positions. Of these award winners, two of the three first place positions are going to be representing Canada on the world stage, competing in the WRO International Finals in Panama against eighty plus countries!

But you might be wondering, what were the achievements that brought these Zebra students to the international stage?

The first team, who came in first place, was a high school team that focused on the issue of long-haul ocean freight ships. These massive cargo ships drive our supply industry, with many carrying 24,000 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEU) worth of supplies across our vast oceans. They, however, face a major issue. As these ships have a decently long lifespan, many of them acquire lots of biomaterial on the underside of their hulls, things like algae, barnacles, tubeworms and more. This causes a whole host of issues and is referred to as biofouling in the industry. It is a problem that has plagued humanity since the dawn of sailing, but our bright minds came up with a solution.

The first place highschooler team posing for a photo op.

The high school team designed a robot that can climb onto the underside of the container ships while they are docked, and work to remove the biomaterial on the underside of the ships while they are being loaded. During the demonstration of the robot, the students showed how it could climb the hulls of these ships, at one point having their robot climbing an almost vertical surface. The judges were clearly impressed by their design work, as well as the impact that this type of robot could have. If the technology moves forward, it will help to solve biofouling, which can help make cargo ships 20% more fuel efficient, help curb invasive species spread, and help lower maintenance costs, among many other benefits.

But they aren’t the only innovators on the world stage. Also in first place, is a group of middle schoolers, all grade seven. They designed and built a robot to compete in the Robot Mission category. Through their hard work and dedication during their time at Zebra Robotics, they managed to design a robot with an edge over the competition in this head-to-head robot matchup, earning them a spot in the WRO International Finals. There in Panama, they will compete once more in the Robot Mission category.

Of the teams that competed in the WRO National Finals, many got close to moving onto the international finals. While they didn’t quite make it, it doesn’t mean their ideas aren’t valuable. This is especially true with one of our third place winners who worked to design a solution to growing energy needs in the tech industry.

Currently, as more and more of our world moves online, more and more server space is needed to run it. These servers are often stored in massive data centers, of which there are over five thousand worldwide! These centers are great for storing the information needed, and they are in one location to make maintenance easier. But one of the large issues with them is that they need constant cooling, to ensure that the centers do not overheat. This consumes a massive amount of energy and can become quite pricey depending on the cooling system used. So, if data centers were to become more prominent, and more affordable, the cooling system costs would need to come down somehow.

This is where our third place innovators came in to offer a solution. Liquid cooling is already more efficient and cost effective than other methods of cooling, but it can be further refined. The team designed a mutually beneficial system that worked to take the heat of the data centers and put it to use. The cold water, heated up by the data centers, can be pumped out to other areas where the heated water can be deployed for human use. Thus, helping to reduce total energy costs used by the company/building, while also being more eco-friendly.

The third place team posing with their certificate.

That about covers it for now. We will have more news in November, when our teams compete on the world stage in Panama! Keep an eye out on our socials, or sign up for our mailing list to be notified of current events.

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New Location Excitement!

Having found great success with our proprietary curriculums, student-paced STEM education style, and wide variety of offerings, Zebra Robotics has been looking to grow. Opening up our brand to franchising has allowed entrepreneurs to pick up on the successful formula of delivering effective stem education to children and teenagers and bring this formula to their own cities, neighbourhoods, and communities. Zebra robotics specialises in STEM education for students between the ages of 4 and 17, offering a number of courses ranging in complexity, topics, programming languages, and robotic platforms. This year Zebra Robotics, a STEM education institute headquartered out of Mississauga, Ontario in Canada, has seen rapid growth across North America and is becoming a well-known and distinguished name in the STEM competition space internationally. Locations of this prolific STEM education centre are starting to pop up all over the east coast; most recently in Oakville, Ontario, Holly Springs, North Carolina and a location in Boston, Mashechussets coming up in Q1 2023. 

However, the goal for Zebra Robotics remains unchanged; to provide our future programmers and engineers with a quality education to support their learning at school and push them to greater heights in the STEM world. Over the pandemic, the delivery of this quality education was contested by the restrictions however, the institution was successful in porting our curriculums to online platforms and adopting a virtual teaching style to deliver the same knowledge and quality learning experience through a different medium. Students today can do classes online or in person depending on the program they are enrolled in, with infrastructure in place to support either mode of learning at the same high-class calibre. This versatility and ability to cater an excellent education to students based on their needs is what makes Zebra Robotics the unique institution they are. It is this commitment to quality that has trampolined them to the multi-national stage. 

Zebra Robotics now boasts over ten locations scattered across the North American east coast with plans of further expansion to deliver students the STEM education essential for thriving and finding success in the world today. In today’s world, all career jobs require some STEM knowledge. Institutions like this extend this vital STEM education to students and provide them with the tool sets they need to approach the rapidly changing and evolving professional landscape that is becoming more and more reliant on tech with each passing day.

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Meet Our Graduates!

Graduating-class

We’re proud to announce that three of our long-time students: Vishal, Armina, and Adam have accepted their offers of admission to their respective universities. We’ve seen these students grow and expand their minds in the STEM space and otherwise through the years and could not be happier with their progress, nor prouder of the wonderful young adults they have become. To highlight their experience on this exciting journey, we’ve interviewed them on the transition from high school to university hoping to not only emphasize their great achievement but also provide future students with an idea of what to expect and an experience to draw from. 

What university and program are you pursuing in the fall?

Vishal: University of Waterloo – Mechatronics Engineering

Adam: University of Toronto – Engineering Science

Armina: McMaster University – Engineering

How do your hobbies and interests tie into this program?

Vishal: I would say I am passionate about technology, especially robotics which naturally ties into engineering, especially a multi-discipline program such as mechatronics engineering

Adam: Engineering is all about problem-solving, collaboration, and applying theoretical knowledge to the real world. I have always loved learning about STEM-related topics and especially robotics, starting from LEGO EV3 robots all the way up to metal VEX robots. Throughout my years at Zebra, I would compete in various robotics and coding competitions, where I was able to catch a glimpse of what engineering is like in the real world. With my interests being in STEM, robotics, and coding, engineering was the perfect field for me to challenge myself and put my skills to good use.

Armina: Throughout the years that I’ve been doing robotics, it’s made me realize that I want to continue doing such within the field that is engineering. The technical skillsets that I’ve learned through coding, prototyping, building, etc. will help me through my adventure that is post-secondary. Beyond that, the general skills such as collaboration, documentation, public speaking, and more will also aid me not only in my desired program but also in life. Aside from robotics, the other activities I do such as taekwondo and songwriting help by allowing me to have focus, balance, strength, and confidence in what I do, which adds some well-roundness to this intensive field. 

What piece of advice would you give aspiring students interested in the same field?

Vishal: The advice I would give is to develop a passion for learning and to be curious. Engineering, especially mechatronics is a rapidly evolving field, where new technologies are constantly being developed so it’s important to have an open mindset to learning.

Adam: For aspiring engineering students, it’s important to be aware of what engineering is actually about, rather than choosing it due to your academic prowess in math and science. Although academics are very important, understanding the collaborative and practical nature of engineering is just as important. This is why getting involved in design competitions like robotics proves very beneficial. Grade school might not give you the best picture of what engineering is all about, so make sure to venture outside of school and find out for yourself!

Armina: One really important thing to note when pursuing engineering is that you need to be good at communicating and collaborating with others. Most if not all the time, engineers are working in groups to accomplish their given goal. Being able to communicate openly and work off of each other’s ideas, weaknesses and strengths are absolutely key in this field. Another point I’d like to add is you must understand that you will make mistakes along the way. Rarely will things work perfectly on the first try. There will be a lot of failures, a lot of tuning, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that you put into each and every model, which is what makes engineering so delicate. 

How long have you been at Zebra Robotics and what was your experience like?

Vishal: I have been at Zebra Robotics for almost 5 years now, and my experience has been nothing short of fantastic. I credit the first lessons I did at Zebra to exposing me to the field of robotics and leading me to participate in numerous robotics competitions since then including WRO and VRC. The coaches are always there to provide support but also give the freedom to learn through experience, especially for competitions.

Adam: I have been learning and competing at Zebra Robotics for around six years now. It has been a journey of success, failure, and constant improvement, all while doing what I love. Starting from LEGO Robotics and FLL to traveling internationally for the VEX Robotics competitions, every step of my journey has filled me with valuable experience and has pushed me to levels of achievement that could have never happened through school alone. I am very thankful to Zebra and its community of coaches, mentors, and students for giving me these opportunities!

Armina: I’ve been going to Zebra Robotics since a little bit after it was first established, so around 7 and a half years ago (I think) and I only have positive things to say about my experience here. From the coaches to the courses, everything was educational, fun, and helpful. Sometime after I completed some of the robotics courses, I began competing in competitions such as Zone 1, FLL, and WRO and eventually even got to be a part of our very first VEX team. It was a really unique experience being able to participate in all of those types of competitions and help build the foundation for the VEX team, as we even made it to worlds this past season, however my competing days for those have unfortunately come to an end. Instead, I’ll be helping coach or mentor robotics from time to time as a new chapter of my journey here.

What advice would you have for students still choosing their career paths?

Vishal: To give as many things as they can a try. You never know what you might be interested in until you give it a try, so exposing yourself to different fields through extracurricular activities can help you discover what you’re passionate about.

Adam: For students still choosing their career path, I strongly advise getting out of your comfort zone and trying as many things as possible. You’ll never know if you’re passionate about something until you try it! Academics are not the end-all and be-all of your career, so be explorative and open to trying new things, especially in high school.

Armina: My advice for anyone who is still trying to figure out what they want to pursue, is to simply just experiment. There are lots of clubs, courses, and extracurriculars out there; feel free to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. From personal experience, I can say that trying out different extracurriculars has helped me understand what I enjoyed and am passionate about. After all, your future career should be something you like doing, not just something you do for the money.

How (if it has) has your time at Zebra Robotics fostered your interest in Coding and Robotics?

Vishal: Zebra Robotics first exposed me to the world of robotics and since then has helped to continue to foster my interest in coding, robotics, and technology in general. Through Zebra Robotics, I have been able to grow my interest by learning about robotics and coding and then being able to apply that knowledge in actual competitions. The passion for technology I developed at Zebra has also led me to take be more curious to learn more about the exciting world of technology on my own and truly develop a love for learning.

Adam: Due to the various courses, knowledgeable and experienced coaches, and challenging competitions, my passion for robotics and coding has always been fulfilled at Zebra Robotics. With the fields of STEM being incredibly vast, Zebra gives a perfect platform for endless learning and exploration of these topics. 

Armina: Honestly, Zebra Robotics was the whole reason I got into STEM and wanted to go into engineering in the first place. Before I came here, I was still in middle school trying out as many extracurriculars as possible, since school at the time wasn’t much of a challenge for me. Then once I started doing robotics here, I came to admire all its intricacies and was really fascinated by all I could accomplish with Lego, and then eventually I was opened to the world of VEX, which made me fall deeper into the rabbit hole that is robotics. 

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Choosing A STEM Education Center

Young student STEM Education

Parents want what is best for their kids but, in a world with so many options, it is easy to lose sight of what matters amidst buzzwords, marketing jargon, and overreaching promises. When it comes to choosing a STEM education center for your child it is important to keep in mind a few things:

It’s a Marathon, Not a Race!

    It is important to set goals and be mindful of what you expect out of the center or institution you’re signing your child with. There are many who have shorter introductory programs meant to do no more than expose young students to technology, and there are those who have meticulously designed curriculums to carry students from the very basics at a young age all the way to prepare them for university at the latter stages of high school. Consider what you want for your child’s future, and of course, their own interests, to make sure they’re getting what they need out of the experience.

Beware the “Buzzwords”

    In the increasingly expanding industries surrounding STEM and STEM learning, many have resorted to specific buzzwords that do well to grab attention. A.I.! Machine Learning! Mechatronics! Drones! All fantastic fields of learning in their own right, however, that does not mean they are simple or immediately accessible. Be wary of centers or institutions that promise too much, too fast. It is important to learn how to walk before you learn how to run. Any promises of fast progress using buzzwords and the theatrics that come with them should be taken with a grain of salt. 

Trial by (a very fun) Fire

    A great way for students to learn not only STEM concepts but social, team, and interdependent skills is through using their knowledge in competitions that test what they have learned, their ability to adapt, and their collaboration with others towards a common goal. These are all skills that are imperative to any workplace in the many STEM-related fields and others. It is highly recommended to seek out a center or institution that engages students in not only local but large-scale competitions on the provincial or national level. Such an experience will drive students to hone their skills and expand their knowledge and put them in situations where they prove their ability not only to their instructors and judges but to their own selves.