Volunteers a big part of VEX Robotics, appreciate students

MATTAWA — VEX Robotics has become a popular after school and weekend activity in the Wahluke School District. Periodically readers see the results of competitions in the newspaper.

This time we get an outsider look at the students who participate. Community volunteers Ken Broda and Lars Leland provide that after the Feb. 18 Wahluke HS and MS Vex Tournament at Wahluke High School.

“Impressive, outstanding,” Broda said.

“Unbelievable,” Leland added.

This was Broda’s third year volunteering for the competition. It was Leland’s first. Both want to return, again and again.

Broda, who had a technological kind of life as an Air Force U-2 spy plane pilot, suspects the VEX Robotics youngsters are probably a cut above their peers. They smile more, their eyes sparkle, and they tend to be happy, he said. He believes they’ll be among the leaders of their generation.

“This is an after-school thing. They don’t have to attend or participate, but they do it,” Broda said.

“It was amazing,” Leland added. “The kids build their own robots. They raise their own money. You don’t see that anymore.”

Leland noted the youngsters conducted themselves in a professional manner. He said they are well spoken and are happy to greet you and speak with you.

“They’re all there because they want to be there,” he said.

According to Arthur Morken, Wahluke set a record with four community volunteers. He appreciates the kind words from Broda and Leland and hopes they will spread the word. He’d like to see a lot more community involvement.

Most of the volunteers to date are school-related. At Wahluke, Morken is the primary one. Feb. 18 was a long day for him.

Morken rose at 5 a.m. and picked up the first of 12 key volunteers by 6 a.m.

“Six of the volunteers rode out with me to Mattawa from up to 200 miles away at their own expense and spent the next 14 hours providing opportunities for kids in our district,” Morken said.

“This is why I have been emphasizing getting more local support from our community,” he added. The last volunteer riding with me was dropped off after 9 p.m. that night.”

This is Morken’s seventh year with competitive robotics and the fifth year for the Wahluke schools. It has grown to a team of teacher-coaches that includes Myron Hamilton, Nathan Benfield, Adam Fields, Brian Wilson, Gordon Althauser, Angelica Sosa, Derek Fox, Cesar Ortiz and Chad Lednum, covering from high school to elementary.

“Each of these individuals makes continual sacrifices above and beyond their job duties so students have opportunities that will impact lives and futures,” Morken said.

It’s for that very reason that Broda and Leland have become involved and plan to continue. They see robotics competitions as one way Wahluke Slope youngsters can spread their wings.

“You never know which one of these kids is going to break away from Mattawa and become somebody,” Broda said. “I believe some of these kids will.”

The primary role for Broda and Leland was to judge the log books the competitors put together as they built their robots. The books included the teams’ activities, the brainstorming that was done, discussions of their logic and diagrams and/or drawings.

“Basically, their log book was supposed to make it possible for me to build their robot,” Broda said.

Broda said some books were better than others, but there wasn’t a bad one among them. However, he would have liked to see more diagrams or drawings.

Part of the process was interviews of the team members. Broda was impressed with the vocal communication skills. Instead of reserved, the students were outgoing and, to some degree, aggressive.

“What impressed me the most was their enthusiasm,” Broda said. “They even came up and talked to me after the judging and I was watching the robot competitions.”

“It’s very encouraging for the future of our country,” he added. They’re learning how to conduct themselves in a technological world.”