Gold Coast Arts Center & NYIT Offers “Introduction to Robotics”

Reading, ‘Riting, ‘Rithmetic and … Robotics? The fourth ‘R’ is no longer the realm of science fiction; today, it is the realm of science. And through a new course on robotics offered by the Gold Coast Arts Center and the New York Institute of Technology, children can learn to program robots themselves.

During the course, students will build and learn to write programs for Vex IQ robots, and work through a series of guided physical challenges with the robots to develop programming skills. Among these challenges are navigating a maze, learning to use sensors, seeking and retrieving objects, and building SUMO-bots, a fast and furious mechanical emulation of the Japanese sport of sumo wrestling.

The course is for students over the age of seven who have no prior programming or robotics experience. Classes will be held on Mondays from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on March 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th; April 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th; and May 7th. Tuition is $310 for members of the Gold Coast Arts Center and $360 for non-members.

“Even the most science-averse students get excited about robots,” says Ellen Schiff, Director of the School of the Arts, Gold Coast Arts Center. “The course is a lot of fun for the participants, but it also gives them some practical scientific skills needed to compete in the 21st century. For example, the students will experience the engineering/design process as they modify their robots to take on new tasks, and they will also engage in authentic scientific experimentation.”

The course instructors are Emily Harwood and Breanah Khan, both of whom attend the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury.

Emily, who is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering, is an active participant in the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and VEX Robotics. She works passionately to increase scientific literacy and interest in STEM fields among young people.

Breanah Khan is working towards a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical aerospace engineering. An award-winning member of the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematical Honor Society, she actively participates in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and VEX Robotics. Her goal is to influence young people to become engineers.

The classes are held at the Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Road in Great Neck, NY, 11021. For more information or to register, please call 516-829-2570 or visit http://goldcoastarts.org/portfolio-items/robotics/.

About the Gold Coast Arts Center
The Gold Coast Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the arts through education, exhibition, performance and outreach. Located on the North Shore of Long Island, it has brought the arts to tens of thousands of people throughout the region for more than 20 years. Among the Center’s offerings are its School for the Arts, which holds year-round classes in visual and performing arts for students of all ages and abilities; a free public art gallery; a concert and lecture series; film screenings and discussions; the annual Gold Coast International Film Festival; and initiatives that focus on senior citizens and underserved communities. These initiatives include artist residencies, after-school programs, school assemblies, teacher-training workshops and parent-child workshops. The Gold Coast Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Partners in Education program, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. More information can be found at www.goldcoastarts.org.