New Heights continues to impress

Building on last month’s success at a FIRST Robotics Competition event at UNH, The Wire Clippers--a partnership between New Heights and Portsmouth High School--won the Rookie Inspiration award at a similar event recently held in Lewiston, Maine.

New Heights’ Wayne Moulton, who coordinates all STEM programming at New Heights, expressed admiration at the team’s continued development.

“We had 6 hours to improve our robot and we were able to make some significant enhancements, including better design aesthetics and increased functionalities,” he said. “The kids also built an enclosure to go around the electronics and the robot went faster and handled better, too--the team has made remarkable improvements in a short period of time.”

Moulton said the key now, though, is present the robot to the public eye in as many forums as possible.

“We will be at the Children’s Museum in Dover in May and at the Maker’s Faire in September,” he said. We plan to be at other community events, too, with our robot. It’s great for the team to interact with the public.”

According to Tracey Tucker, executive director at New Heights, the need for volunteers and to raise funds is also critical to the team’s success.

“We have ongoing needs for volunteers and for financial support from the community and corporate sector to sustain the team and provide the kids with opportunities to compete,” she said. “We are so appreciative of everyone who has stepped up so far to make this program possible.”

Sponsors of The Wire Clippers include The Clipper Foundation, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, DoDSTEM (Department of Defense STEM), Bourassa Construction, Bottomline Technologies, Seacoast Rotary, Rotary Club of Portsmouth , and Portsmouth Industrial Design.

To learn more about New Heights, or to offer support, visit www.newheightsonline.org.