Page 11 - TTWINov2025

STEM
Teaching Today Wisconsin | Fall 2025 Page 11

Sun Prairie Robotics Team Codes for Success in its First Year

The robot competition was held, in late In its second year, the club hopes to
spring, by FIRST Robotics, a nonprofit that expand, adding team members, new roles,
inspires young people to pursue careers in and greater fundraising efforts. As SPR10522
science, technology, engineering, and math aims to compete with a more effective robot,
(STEM) through hands-on, team-based robot- the team is looking for students who are inter-
ics competitions. ested in marketing to help lead fundraising
A robotics team has been a long time initiatives. There is also a need for commu-
coming for the school district. A portion of nity participation and volunteers to lean in and
the Sun Prairie West High School’s Career support the students. The long-term goal is to
and Technical Education area was built with a generate enough interest in robotics to create a
vision as a future space for a robotics program. course offered by the schools.
The Sun Prairie Robotics team, SPR10522, “There’s a deep pool of technical talent
allows high school students to learn about in our community in Sun Prairie, and growing
coding, manufacturing, engineering, lead- interest among our student body, and we need
ership and team building. It is made up of to draw them in,” said Mould.
students from Sun Prairie West and East high With this growth in mind, Sun Prairie
schools, along with student mentors from a Robotics will be kicking off its inaugural Lego
nearby university. League Robotics team this fall for 4th and
“Our team values collaboration, com- 5th graders - and will host the regional Lego
munication, and hands-on learning. While League competition at West High School in
we’ve faced challenges and made a few mis- January 2026. If you are interested in learn-
takes along the way, we always problem-solve ing more about our Robotics program, please
Sun Prairie Area School District Star Award. More than just recognition effectively and learn from each experience, reach out to Curt Mould at cdmould@sunprai-
Thirty days before their first robotics of their hard work and potential as a new often with a lot of laughter along the way,” rieschools.org.
competition, the Sun Prairie high schools’ team, the award guaranteed them a spot in said Zion Johnson, a senior at West and lead
robotics club had to build a team, design future competitions. coder on the team.
and bring a robot to life. Performing “We built an award-winning robot in 30 The club was created last year after a
surgery on that robot mid-competition was days,” said Curtis Mould, the club’s advisor. grant from the Department of Public Instruc- sunprairieschools.org
not part of the plan, but with their dedica- “This blew people’s minds when we were at tion covered the competition’s entry fee.
tion and intelligence, the team ended the the competition because some teams had six Additional grants helped pay for the robotics
competition by winning the Rookie All- months to build.” equipment.

STEM Shuttle Missions: Fall, 2025

Fennimore Elementary School — Oct. 2, 2025 Loyal Elementary School — Oct. 9, 2025 Central Elementary School, Rhinelander —
The first STEM Shuttle mission to kick off our 20th On Thursday, Oct. 9, the STEM Shuttle docked at Oct. 28, 2025
year of visiting schools throughout Wisconsin took place the Loyal Elementary School. As the pictures will attest, Staff, students, and the STEM Shuttle crew had a
at the Fennimore Elementary School on Thursday, Oct. 2. both students and teachers enjoyed their time on the great day at Central Elementary School in Rhinelander
The teachers on the mission were Sharon Ryan, the mobile classroom. on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
creator of the STEM Shuttle program, and Sue Bushman Pictured with the principal, Amanda Olson, are
who are pictured with the school principal, Hillary Day. shuttle teachers Sandy Smith (left) and Sharon Ryan
Dennis Cihlar was the shuttle pilot, and did double The 4th and 5th graders did a great job at the hands-
duty at the Constellations workstation. on workstations.