Robots giving Manitoba students an edge in ‘competitive’ world of STEM

Danton Unger has the story of the Morris School Robotics Team and the work being done to inspire a new generation in science technology.

The countdown reaches zero and with a press of a button two robots spring to life – the competition begins.

The high-pitched whine of small battery-powered motors fills the technology lab inside Morris School in Morris, Man. The only sound louder than the motors is the cheer of the students when their robot successfully picks up a ring and places it on a pole.

This is the Morris School Robotics Team, made up of high school students who have worked together to build and code robots from scratch.

“It’s really fun, and you learn a lot of information on the way,” said 15-year-old Zajac St. Godard, a Grade 10 student in the school’s robotics program.

Zajac holds a video game-style controller in his hands. With a flick of the joystick, he pilots his robot throughout the playing field – a 12-foot by 12-foot square. He’s trying to collect more rings than his opponents.

“If you don’t have a good strategy, you won’t score any points because everyone’s gonna steal everything from in front of you,” said 14-year-old Cody Dueck.

While the friendly spar is just a practice, soon the Morris Robotics Blue Bombur Team will be heading south of the border to compete in the VEX Robotics Competition.

The international competition puts the skills of students around the world to the test, pitting robot against robot. Right now, the students at Morris School are the only team from Manitoba to compete.

“The best part about this, from a learning perspective, is that things go wrong,” said J.P. Jamieson, a technology teacher at the school and coach of the robotics team.

“Then it’s back to the drawing board, and the amount of learning and churn amongst the team as they’re just trying to come up with the best solution – it’s just great to see in action.”

Since Jamieson launched the team back in September 2024, he said they have already taken their robots on the road, winning awards for their design in U.S. competitions.

He said the school was able to borrow the equipment through the Manitoba Association of Education Technology Leaders’ STEAM Library.

“We get to use them for a year… and then the idea is there’s going to be other schools that get to use them,” he said, adding he hopes more schools take advantage of the program.

“We want to plant those seeds so that every year somebody can get hands-on with the ring, with the robots, and I think it’ll be infectious.”

The challenges these robots must complete change every year, meaning the students must continuously redesign their robots.

“Problem solving is a really big one,” said Cody, who helps code and build his team’s robot.

Beyond the competitive spirit, Jamieson said the goal behind these games is to inspire a new generation to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

“It’s a competitive world out there,” he said. “At the end of the day, they’re learning all sorts of really valuable skills that are going to pay off through high school, post-secondary and beyond.”

And for the students at Morris School, they are already well on their way.

“I think something in STEM would be great,” Cody said. “This definitely helps me with stuff like that.”