Moon Area, Quaker Valley Collaborate on Robotics Program

Students in the and school districts have begun studying together in a new robotics program. 

The districts launched the program last month using a seed grant from SeaPerch, an educational robotics organization, which the U.S. Office of Naval Research partly sponsors. The grant will cover the costs of student and teacher training for the program. 

Students in the program will learn to build underwater remotely-operated vehicles. 

The progam is conducted during each district's after-school robotics clubs. Teacher James Petrina leads the program in Moon, and teacher Joseph Prosdecimo instructs Quaker Valley's after-school program. 

Quaker Valley teacher Otto Tancraitor will use the SeaPerch program in his concept physics classes. Moon Area technology teacher Scott Hilpert will also use the materials in his regular classes. 

The teachers completed their training for the program in September. Teachers have already tested their own underwater vehicles in the Moon Area High School pool, according to a district statement. 

The districts said that the goal of the program is to develop competitions among students involved. 

"It's a wonderful opportunity to hook kids with hands-on activites," said Marianne Cibulas, Quaker Valley career education coordinator.