Cherokee Bend 5th Graders Secure Funding For Robots

MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL — Cherokee Bend students recently put together a presentation to the school's PTO that secured the purchase of new robots to enhance the grade's learning experience.

The CBS fifth-graders went into the storage closet and pulled out old robots that had not been used since before the pandemic. Many couldn’t hold their battery or were outdated versions that were inadequate for proper use. So the students put their heads together and came up with a plan.

They didn’t have the money to buy new robots so they brainstormed ideas and after-class discussions, they decided to research robots and create persuasive Google slide shows. The grade presented their findings to principal Sandy Ritchey and she encouraged them to come up with a plan to merge their ideas to create one comprehensive Google slide show for each class and present it to the PTO.

The whole grade came together to watch the final presentations to the PTO. They concluded with a question and answer session where students answered the PTO’s questions.

The students' presentation convinced PTO members how important these robots and tools would be to enhance teaching and learning in all grades at CBS, and the students received $3,500 to purchase new robots and a 3D printer.

Future plans include the creation of several tech teams to help teach other grades and teachers in the building how to incorporate these tools into learning.