The sky is the limit for this adult Oconomowoc robotics group that's gearing up to make history
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- It's a Sunday night in December and 19-year-old Nicholas James is sitting inside of a room at an Oconomowoc nonprofit playing with Legos.
"I've been a fan of Legos, I love Legos!" James told CBS 58's Ellie Nakamoto-White.
This is the sixth session the teenager has participated in over the last 12 weeks, sorting through the brightly colored blocks.
And he's not alone.
James is one of around a dozen adults who congregate inside of Journey21 for these sessions, a Wisconsin nonprofit "that provides supportive living and learning options for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD)."
“It’s one thing to say you’re going to do it, it’s another thing to follow through and that’s one thing we’re absolutely doing is providing and pioneering all of these unique opportunities," said Heidi Hamilton, the program and enrichment director for the organization.
But what do Legos have to do with learning?
“Making them move by doing coding... that’s something I never knew Legos could do," James said.
James and the rest of his teammates with IDD have been learning the ins and outs of everything related to robotics for months, thanks to a partnership between Journey21 and the Arrowhead Cyberhawks, a robotics team at Arrowhead High.
“We started this program because on our Cyberhawks Robotics Team. we’re really focused on integrating marginalized groups into STEM fields, so Journey 21 was a great way to do that," said Nidhi George, a student lead for the Journey21 robotics team and the captain of the Cyberhawks. “With these individuals, having those skills with STEM that can be applied to the real world, that’s not something they may get to see very often so a program like this can really jumpstart that."
George has worked with James and the rest of the group, using Legos as a way to introduce coding and programming.
Over the past few sessions, the group has created things like a car that picks someone up and moves them from Point A to Point B.
On Sunday's meeting, they were focusing on building a recycling station that picks up other parts, and programming a bus that stops at certain points that correspond with matching characters.
“On the first day they were super shy, and they were really hesitant to really do anything with the Legos, now they’re really just getting into it you know they want the computer; they want all the pieces, they want to do everything, and they have that ability now," George said. "STEM is really the future."
Ava Anderson, a student lead for the Journey21 robotics team and the business team lead for the Cyberhawks, said the growth she's seen in the team has been immense.
“I feel like I’m so lucky to have an opportunity like this to try these new things and to really get involved like on the ground floor of promoting STEM within communities," Anderson said. “The progress that we’ve seen with STEM skills in such a short time has been really cool to watch.”
The group is working toward being able to build competition-level robots and compete in the FIRST Lego League next summer -- a global battle that brings together tens of thousands of teams.
“We are very unique to the lake country area and for us to be able to say that we are the first to be able to do this in the world it’s amazing," said Hamilton. “For us to be completely embraced and to have the mentorship that we do has been amazing.”
While Dec. 17 marked the group's official last session, leaders are already preparing for the next one that starts in January.
“I didn’t know I could until we did it and it was pretty cool actually," James said, in reference to the group's creations. “Seeing what we can do next with our minds and our hands and the Legos that we create, it’s a very cool opportunity we have here."
And to those looking to join or follow in his footsteps?
"Start small and then work your way up and then you’ll be a Lego master in no time," James said.
To learn more about the robotics club, email [email protected].