VEX Robotics Delivers Unique Engineering Supplies To North Penn

LANSDALE – Engineering students at North Penn High School (NPHS) were overjoyed last Wednesday, January 20 as long awaited supplies from VEX Robotics was delivered to their school, the district said in a press release.

Boxes piled nearly over students’ heads were wheeled into classrooms where students and staff excitedly waited for their arrival. VEX is a robotics platform, similar to Erector sets which NPHS Engineering students currently utilize in classrooms, according to North Penn.

However, VEX is designed to teach students how to program through interactive and physical computing. Students will create devices that react to sound, light, and motion.

VEX kits include input and output devices like motors, servos, lights, distance sensors, and touch switches, school officials said.

Students can design, prototype, and construct functioning robotic devices that drive, walk or simply stay put. Projects include robots that follow lines, navigate by themselves, function as elevators and sort marbles by their color. The possibilities with the VEX products are endless!

NPHS students in the each Principles of Engineering class will use these supplies for five to six weeks, and the Computer Integrated Manufacturing courses will be using this for eight to ten weeks. Chances are, if one were to visit NPHS at random, they would find Engineer students using VEX in one of those classes.

Engineering teacher Mr. Mike Voicheck is overjoyed to welcome VEX into his classrooms. “Our new challenge is to figure out how to sort and store all of these wonderful kits! There are a bazillion parts,” Voicheck explains.

Programming and building are huge components of any technical profession. Many students today lack the hands-on skills needed to problem-solve and build objects, the school said. VEX will help students to develop such skills in a fun, interactive way.