Cornelius Krahn didn’t have to sell the Grade 7s on robotics this year. They were already asking.
“This September when I went into College Park, the Grade 7s were already asking me,” said Krahn, a Lloydminster Public School Division teacher and organizer of the robotics program. “I’m like, okay, yeah, I’m glad you’re excited.”
The excitement is no accident. Cenovus Energy has backed the LPSD VEX Robotics program since it launched, supplying volunteers and funding that Krahn reinvests directly into equipment each year. That steady support has made it possible to grow the program one grade at a time – and to keep growing.
The second annual competition took place May 2 at the LPSD head office. Grade 7 students competed alongside Grade 6 for the first time. Grade 8 joins next year.
“That’s right,” Krahn said. “We’re building the program.”
The builds are getting more complex too. This year’s robot took students six to eight hours to complete – roughly double the time required last year.
Cenovus staff don’t just write a cheque. Krahn said employees actively watch for volunteer opportunities through the company’s internal website, and one volunteer has now attended all three competitions the program has held.
“We appreciate them being here – and we appreciate the donation that comes with them as well,” he said.
Jason Neville, director of education for the LPSD, said that kind of community investment opens doors for students who don’t connect with traditional extracurriculars.
“Students that have an interest outside of your typical athletics or band – it gives them just another avenue to extend their learning,” Neville said.
The robotics program touches science, technology, engineering and math. But Krahn said it reaches further than the acronym.
“It’s also life skills,” he said. “Trying to solve a problem, trying to work together with other people. That’s life. That’s not just STEM.”
Robotics teams are built on more than technical ability. Students who excel at logistics, leadership, or keeping teammates included have a role just as vital as whoever holds the controller – which, Krahn noted, feels familiar to anyone who plays video games.
“The controller is very, very similar,” he said. “They definitely have an advantage.”
Neville said the Cenovus partnership has reached well beyond this one event.
“The partnership with Cenovus has been phenomenal in this and across many other projects we’ve been doing,” Neville said.
The Grade 7s who competed this spring were already in the program last year, when it was Grade 6 only. They came back knowing what to expect – and ready to do more.
The event ended in the Krack Jacks from College Park placing first, Bishop Lloyd’s Destroyers placed second and College Park’s The Rippers placed third.
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I hope they realize where robotics is headed? They want to replace the human population with robots