Vince welcomed hundreds of PLTW students to the 2015 VEX Robotics World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, on Wednesday evening to kick off the annual four-day competition. Students, parents, mentors, and coaches enjoyed a spaghetti dinner to fuel up for the matches, and Vince shared how the competitors will reap the benefits of robotics and hands-on STEM activities for years to come.
“This experience is something that while it is meaningful for you today, it is also life-changing,” he said. “It is helping you develop not only the skills, but also an experience you will take well beyond this weekend and high school and into your career.”
More than 800 teams and 15,000 students from the U.S. and more than two dozen countries came together to compete for the world title. Of the 800 teams, more than 100 are affiliated with PLTW programs across the country. While the focus of the weekend is to be crowned a world champion, there are broader implications for what the students are accomplishing.
“When I think about all the skills employers from across the country want, I think about the experience you’re getting,” Vince said. “You’re exactly what they’re looking for. People are watching you every day: the skills you’re developing, your attitudes, your ability to work together, how you lift each other up, and how you help one another.”
Students who participate in Project Lead The Way or robotics are not only gaining the STEM skills needed in our increasingly global economy, but the invaluable collaborative and problem-solving skills, too.
“Take that, take your confidence and your skills, and you’re going to do great things.”
After Worlds, Vince heads to San Diego to speak at the California City School Superintendents Conference.
Stay current on Vince’s travels – and the latest in education and workforce development news – by following him on Twitter at @VinceBertram.