Springfield Chamber #WorkReady Initiative Awards $5,000 Grant to SHS Robotics Club

April 21, 2022

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Over the past 5 years, the Springfield Chamber’s #WorkReady initiative has awarded over $21,000 in grants through the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Fund. These funds go to support CTE pathway related activities that advance Springfield Chamber and Springfield Public Schools CTE partnership goals to increase graduation rates and cultivate a WorkReady local pool of talent.

Earlier this month, on behalf of our WorkReady impact investors and advisory committee, the Springfield Chamber of Commerce presented $5000 to Springfield High School for the launch of an after school Robotics Club. The funds will be used as seed money to start this after school club, purchasing the tools and robotic kits needed to get the club started.

The club will be run by Automotive Diesel Technology instructor Mark Simmons. Simmons says,

“industries around the world are racing to meet the future zero emission standards, and technicians, engineers and programmers will be needed to make these new standards a reality. The federal government has embraced clean electrical vehicles and the majority of research and development in the transportation industry is being invested in this area. In order to meet these demands students will need to leave high school with a thorough understanding of electrics, electronics and computer controls.”

“In order to meet these demands students will need to leave high school with a thorough understanding of electrics, electronics and computer controls.”

Without ODE science standards relating to electricity and electronics in place, Simmons finds that students come into his automotive program with no prior exposure to electricity, and no practical understanding of the theory or terminology. He anticipates utilizing the club to bridge the gap between the engineering pathway and automotive career technical pathway, moving students from theory based science to a “hands-on” applied pathway. Simmons believes bringing both Engineering and Science bound students together with Career Technical Pathway students in the club will yield great learning by all groups.