Village Glen STEM Students win Rookie All Stars, Continue to National Robotics Competition Championship

The Help Group’s Village Glen School team, known as Knightrise, is heading to St. Louis, Missouri, later this month for the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship after an impressive performance in the Ventura Regional this past weekend at Ventura College. The team, comprised of students with autism spectrum disorder, won the Rookie All-Star Award, sending them to the national event April 22 to 25.

The Help Group’s STEM initiative at Village Glen is designed to integrate a variety of hands-on, intensive classes focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math such as computer programming, robotics, digital arts, 3D printing, AP Environmental Science and entrepreneurship. Dr. Susan Berman, Chief Operating Officer at The Help Group who spearheaded the initiative says, “Village Glen School incorporates a wide-range of STEM coursework to promote cutting edge, 21st century work skills, and to prepare college-bound students for success by encouraging creativity, critical thinking skills and problem solving strategies.”

Dr. Ellis Crasnow, Director of STEM Education for Village Glen Schools, heads team Knightrise. “These remarkable young people have natural talents and abilities like superior visual discrimination, intense focus, and sometimes superior math or technical ability. This has led us as a school to offer a range of STEM classes from K-12, to establish an Innovation Lab, and to encourage our students to engage in public competitions such as the FIRST Robotics competition.”

Knightrise Team member Chris shared, “I’m learning to be confident about contributing my ideas but also trying out other people’s ideas and making concessions. It’s teaching me how to manage a timeline and my schedule, and its real world application is preparing me for my future.”

“The Help Group’s STEM initiative offers technical skills and expertise that will serve our students on the autism spectrum well, that will support them in applying for and attaining meaningful, lifelong employment,” says Dr. Berman. “The Help Group is so proud of team Knightrise and we wish them success in the FIRST Robotics Championship.”

To learn more about Village Glen School and its STEM program visit: http://www.villageglen.org/

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