Expansion of extracurricular STEM Activities

 Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School has launched two new student clubs focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and female empowerment. 

The regional vocational-technical high school has established a FIRST Robotics/STEM Club, which will build robots to compete in the annual robotics competition. The school has also launched a chapter of Girl Up, a United Nations Foundation initiative with a focus on females in STEM and gender equality.

For the FIRST Robotics team, students will work on the robots both in school and at home under Minuteman’s ongoing hybrid learning model. Minuteman joins more than 4,000 school teams nationwide that participate in the competition.

In addition, Minuteman recently received a $300,000 capital skills grant from the Baker administration to expand its robotics logistics engineering programming. The grant will support technology for students to earn credentials in “Industry 4.0,” which is also called “The Fourth Industrial Revolution.” These credentials can be applied toward the expanding automated supply chain management industry, including mechatronics, hydraulics, industrial sensors, and more.

“Minuteman continues to grow and expand despite the challenges presented by the pandemic,” Superintendent-Director Edward A. Bouquillon said. “It’s exciting to see students engaged in hands-on learning both in-person and at home, allowing them to gain the confidence and skills they need to be successful.”

About 25 students from various career majors have signed up for FIRST Robotics so far. The students will work on the robot project in-person and at home with kits designed for remote learning.

Minuteman’s Girl Up chapter will have a STEM and community outreach focus, with projects designed to help girls around the country and the world.

The two clubs evolved from Minuteman’s Girls In STEM Club, which successfully engaged scores of female students in STEM and held vacation camps for middle school students. The two clubs expand Minuteman’s ability to serve students who want to engage in extracurricular STEM activities and focus on female equity in STEM; the clubs are open to students of any gender.

Dec. 18, 2020: Minuteman gets skills grant to expand robotics logistics

This news announcement was published Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. The writer is Dan O'Brien, who works for Minuteman.