10 Thursday, July 4, 2024 BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com
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269-223-BY NATHAN HUNT
Communications Manager
B.C. Public Schools
Velocity is equal to distance divid-
ed by time.
Kamilah Wurie-Guy, an incoming
freshman at Battle Creek Central,
reiterated this formula to peers
shortly before taking control of an
iPad and racing a robotic ball down
the hallway at Battle Creek STEM
Innovation Center on June 20.
“When we started using the Sphero
(robotic ball), we had a little disco
party,” Wurie-Guy said. “It was fun,
but it was also kind of difficult to
work with at first. Today, we were
racing them, so it’s fun that there are
different ways to use them.”
Wurie-Guy was among 15 students
participating in the three-day Spheros
and Tello drone program as part of
the Bearcat Blast summer learn-
ing experience, a free summer pro-
gram offered by Battle Creek Public
Schools and its partners.
The STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, Mathematics) activity
was made possible through a partner-
ship with Michigan Colleges Alliance
(MCA) and the Kalamazoo Math and
Science Institute (KMSI), a joint ini-
tiative between MCA and Kalamazoo
Public Schools.
Jason Raddatz, summer program
manager for MCA, facilitated the
drones program, along with two
Albion College students and help
from Bearcat staff.
“They calculate data and get to
a point where we can make some
conclusions,” Raddatz said. “We
analyzed and calculated average time
using statistics. We say, ‘Here’s the
technology, let’s do some measuring
and do some actual science to answer
the question How fast do those things
go? And for them to do that over the
course of about four hours is pretty
impressive.”
Through its partnership with
MCA, Battle Creek Public Schools
graduates who qualify for the Bearcat
Advantage scholarship now also have
access to additional scholarship funds
covering up to 100 percent of tuitionBattle Creek students recently participated in a three-day Spheros and Tello
drone program. (Photo provided)Drone program teaches Bearcats how to soar to new heights
and fees at 15 top private colleges
and universities in Michigan.
In addition, eligible graduates
can receive up to 100 percent paid
tuition and mandatory fees covered
at eligible four-year colleges and
universities in Michigan, as well as
nearly 100 eligible Historically Black
Colleges or Universities (HBCUs)
across the country.
“The end goal is to get these kids
into college,” Raddatz said. “Taking
kids who may not have that pathway
and giving them the skills where
they get to the point where they say,
‘College may be for me.’”
After challenging one another in
racing the spherical robots, students
moved to the common area where
they flew small, lightweight quad-
copter “Tello” drones.
With hands firmly gripping the
controller and eyes fixed intently on
his drone above, Jassiah Johnson had
little trouble piloting the unmanned
aerial device as it hovered overhead.
“I wanted a learning experience
with drones and I highly recommend
this program here at Battle Creek,”
Johnson said. “You can do coding
with drones. I tried to land them on
the table and it’s funny how the fur-
ther away you are, the harder they
are to land.”Eighth grade instructor Christina
Taylor joined in on the fun, racing
Sphero robots against students and
staff and offering encouragement
to students as the drones buzzed
throughout the common area.
“With these students, we keep them
stimulated throughout the entire sum-
mer,” Taylor said. “There’s the aca-
demic portion here, and there’s also
enrichment. So, they do get to do
some fun activities and enjoy their
summer, but they will also be chal-
lenged academically.”
Wurie-Guy echoed that sentiment,
saying the academic portion of
Bearcat Blast will better prepare her
for entering ninth grade by keeping
her engaged throughout the summer.
“It helps me keep my brain ready
and working,” she said. “So that
when I do go to ninth grade, it’s not
like I’m turning on a switch that’s
been off for a long time.”
For more information, visit battlec-
reekpublicschools.org.