Robotics Programs Thrive in Hawaii SchoolsAugust 26, 2009 | Dr.
Katie Klinger Recently, Hawaiian Airlines, in its in-flight
magazine, ran an inspiring article titled "Kicking Bot" that
every K-12 teacher in America should read as food for thought.
The anecdotes and supporting photos feature students engaged in
robotics programs in Hawaii and remind us what education is all
about: uncovering the hidden talents of our children and
building new interests in skills sets for the 21st century.
Robotics programs have grown exponentially in Hawaii, with nine
qualifying state competitions each year. This did not happen
overnight; the robotics programs owe their existence and success
to insightful collaborative partnerships between a triad of
government, business, and education: - The Hawaii state
legislature directs funding to the University of Hawaii's
College of Engineering to work with school communities in
robotics for students. Robotics programs in Hawaii were
allocated over a million dollars during the last scho