Members of Elbridge Gale Elementary School’s Gator Bots team in action.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE Elbridge Gale Students Excel At Robotics Program With Appearance At International Invitational BY DEBORAH WELKY
Small, plastic Lego bricks are ubiquitous in most homes with school-age children. The bricks are a staple of creativity for children and adults alike, evolving into much more than a toy. In fact, they are also a key component of a robotics program that teaches students STEM skills like engineering and technology. Four years ago, Wellington’s Elbridge Gale Elementary School created a Lego Robotics team, which was an instant hit with students. It is currently operated by
teachers Tara Dicurcio and Nicole Crane. “I wanted to coach because I’m interested in robotics myself. I wanted to learn along with the kids,” Dicurcio said. “The season typically starts in August with competitions running from February through March,” Crane added. “Last year, that was extended while everyone figured out the logistics of competing virtually.” The teachers’ dedication propelled the school’s 2020-21 team to new heights, which included an invitation
to participate in the FIRST Lego League Virtual Open International, headquartered in Greece. The “Gator Bots” team was comprised of Corben Dicurcio, Skyler Peterson, Cristopher Martin-Aguirre,Yashasvi Rajpurohit, Colbie Phillips, Chris Powell, Oliver Parreco and Ariana Porterfield. They entered the qualifier, participating with students from Martin, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties in an effort to receive an award and advance to regionals. wellington the magazine | august 2021 33