Fifth graders enjoy robotics demonstration by local law officers

Fifth grade students in Jen Rende’s science technology engineering arts and mathematics classroom hosted local law enforcement officers on April 5 for a demonstration of how they apply robotics in their field.

School Resource Officer Jeff DeLuca was joined by officers Aaron Roberts (Woodbury) and Brian Siniscalchi (Warwick) of the Orange County Tactical Response Unit, along with members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group.

Rende’s group has been studying robotics for the past couple of years. The students learned how, in a dangerous situation, robotics help minimize risk by keeping people out of harm’s way by having robots gather and transmit enough evidence for officers to plan a solution. The collaboration reflects the district’s Career Connections initiative.

The officers also brought a larger robot with the ability to turn door handles and carry out other physical tasks that help keep humans out of harm’s way. They also shared some of the latest law enforcement technology being used today, including night scope security robots like the ones implemented this past summer in the New York City subway system. Students noted similarities between the video feeds provided by the robots and video game interfaces.

“It’s so important for our students to see the ways in which STEAM, and robotics in particular, impact their lives,” said Rende. “So, we want them to see for themselves how the things we are learning in the classroom are pertinent and that what they’re learning is applied in the real world. I was so proud of them for applying their prior knowledge to ask such great questions of the officers.”