What's Happening in Rosedale, MD…

Students from Baltimore schools recently took part in the Hopkins Robotics Cup, which was held at Johns Hopkins University.

Students built robots and guided them through their tasks using controllers. In one instance, the robots raced the clock as they stacked plastic cones. Hundreds of students took part in the competition, with 25 public schools sending 55 teams to participate.

Margaret Hart, who is with Hopkins' Whiting School of Engineering as the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) outreach advisor, said the students loved the competitive nature of the robotics cup. Many of the young people enjoy solving the problems that arise when they are building and programming their robots, she said.

The competition is also a way for students to learn how to work in teams, which is often the case in real-world situations. Hart said the robotics league, which is citywide, was created six years ago, when the city schools asked Hopkins to help in the effort.

Xitlanie Roache, 14, a Cross Country Elementary/Middle School eighth grader, said to Baltimore Sun that she enjoyed using robots to carry out her ideas. Her interest in robots started when her math teacher suggested she join the robotics program, and she now plans to go into engineering.

Contests like this can be even more fun for attendees if organizers work with a flyer printing company to create a handout that explains the teams' efforts.