Future Engineers Build Robots with Help of Arrowhead United Way

SAN BERNARDINO >> Arrowhead United Way sponsored 45 entering 9th graders to attend Cal State University, San Bernardino’s GEAR UP summer program from June 27 through 30. Through a grant from Southern California Edison, students from San Bernardino city schools participated in the robot-building SeaPerch program. “The opportunity for students at a young age to learn robotics is an important career opportunity for them,” said Doug Rowand, CEO and President of Arrowhead United Way. “We are honored to have opened doors for students that may become the engineers of our future.” SeaPerch, an innovative underwater robotics program, gives teachers and students the resourses needed to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and allows students to learn robotics, engineering, science and mathematics in the process. “Working with Arrowhead United Way has allowed San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) to work with future students at a young age and instill a love of inquiry, discovery and science,” said Stacy Jones, professional expert for SBCCD. “The SeaPerch program exposes students to engineering principles through hands-on learning and exploration.” Throughout the week, students designed, assembled and built their underwater robots. At the end of the camp, students raced their aquatic masterpieces and worked through common water-related issues such as buoyancy and drag, how to safely use electricity underwater and other technical applications.