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'Math, but louder:' Sparklebots learn engineering and teamwork
The Sparklebots switch between Swahili and English as they gather around their robot between matches to repair a broken string, reinforce a support or improve the grip of the metal arms. Tools and advice are shared among the two dozen teams buzzing around the gymnasium at Marion High School on a Saturday in January, vying to move on to the next level of competition, a Super Qualifier in February.
The team's motto — engineering is math, but louder — rings especially true during the FIRST Tech Challenge league championship as the Sparklebots chant from the stands, supporting their competing team members and drawing attention and applause from competitors and fans.
FIRST Tech Challenge teams build and program a robot to lift foam cubes into a rack, tracking their design and progress in an engineering notebook.
Now in its fifth year, the team is made up entirely of girls whose families came to the United States from Africa. Many were refugees who initially settled elsewhere in the country, later landing in Cedar Rapids after hearing of job and education opportunities through family and social networks.
Most of the girls' parents didn't attend college — some have no high school education — so the robotics club and FIRST Tech Challenge have exposed them to opportunities in higher education and the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. This also sets them apart from other teams, many of which have parental involvement and corporate sponsorships for support.
But the Sparklebots are building more than robots — they're building the confidence and skills they need to succeed academically and pursue a college education.
Odeta Uwimana makes adjustments to the team's robot between matches. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Odeta Uwimana (center), a sophomore at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School, watches the autonomous portion of a match with her Sparklebots' teammates, Jefferson sophomore Ingrid Batige and Roosevelt Middle School eighth-grader Esperance Nyirashimwe, before picking up their controllers for the remainder of the match during the FIRST Tech Challenge robotics competition in December at Linn-Mar High School in Marion. Ingrid joined with encouragement from a teacher. Now in her third year with the club, she's thinking about pursuing a career in architecture or mechanical engineering. 'It's not all about building robots,' Ingrid says. 'There's a lot more to it.' As Ingrid and other members take on leadership roles on the team, they will recruit and mentor younger members, building friendships, skills and contributing to the team's growth. Ingrid described the team as a sisterhood during the Super Qualifier in February. 'If we're connected, we can do great things.' (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Odeta Uwimana, Linda Baguma and Ingrid Batige, all Cedar Rapids Jefferson sophomores, wait for their match to begin with Marion High School robotics team Drop It Like It's Bot during the Iowa-FTC league championship in January at Marion High School. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Esperance Nyirashimwe, Ingrid Batige and Yuditha Minani work to repair the team's robot between matches in the league championship. The team incorporated three triangles into their design to represent three elements important to the team: engineering, team unity and the diversity of the team's origins. As a senior at Jefferson in her final year with the team, Yuditha took a step back to let younger members of the team take leadership positions, while mentoring the future team leaders and members. Yuditha was born in Tanzania and moved with her family, who were refugees from Burundi, to Houston before they moved to Iowa in 2012. When her older sister moved out, Yuditha began translating for her family and others in the community. Now, the Sparklebots' members help with translation for African immigrants at parent/teacher conferences. The team members say their translation service has helped recruitment of younger members by showing parents the variety of skills, services and activities they participate in. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
The team practices with its robot after adjusting its arms during the league championship tournament in January at Marion High School. Team coach Rama Muzo (left), intercultural community resources specialist for the Cedar Rapids Community School District, started the team in 2013 for seventh- through 12th-graders, to connect African immigrants and children of immigrants with opportunities in STEM and higher education. The team visits colleges and employers, applies for grants to pay for their expenses and organized a food drive and a backpack donation for students in need at the start of the season. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
FIRST Tech Challenge Iowa judges Anna Kern of Robins and Jeremy Blankenship of Winthrop stop at the Sparklebots' team table during the league championship in January at Marion High School. In addition to scoring in matches, teams are judged on professionalism, how they handle issues during competition, their engineering notebook and community outreach. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Anike Elias, a Cedar Rapids Jefferson senior, hugs Sparklebots teammate Odeta Uwimana after their best match of the day, with Odeta as a driver, during the FIRST Tech Challenge league championship. The team was recognized for its enthusiasm and community outreach with the Motivate Award. That's one of 12 awards given at a meet, which helped the team qualify for the Super Qualified meet for the second time in the Sparklebots' history. Odeta, a sophomore at Jefferson, joined the club when she was in eighth grade and is interested in pursuing a career in engineering. As with other members of the team, Odeta immigrated to America with her family from Tanzania as Burundian refugees, eventually drawn to Iowa for job opportunities and a community of African immigrants. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
The team celebrates after its qualification for the FIRST Tech Challenge Super Qualifier round was announced during the league championship in January at Marion High School. Ingrid Batige (from left) and Esperance Nyirashimwe are two of the younger members of the team. Yuditha Minani (second from right) and Anike Elias (far right) are two of the three seniors on the team this year, all of whom are planning to attend college next year. 'If I hadn't been in robotics, I wouldn't have known what direction I want to take,' Anike says. Being a part of the club helped motivate her academically and expose her to postsecondary educational opportunities. She plans to attend Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids to study nursing, after being inspired by a neonatal nurse who cared for her mother during a pregnancy. Yuditha plans to attend Kirkwood Community College for a career in health care as a nurse or paramedic. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
Linda Baguma carries the FIRST Tech Challenge Motivate award trophy as she runs down the line of judges and volunteers with members of the Sparklebots robotics team at the FTC Relic Recovery league championship at Marion High School in January. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)
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