How a “silent” network managed to engage thousands of students from all over Romania in a process where they learn mathematics, physics, marketing and to work in a team
We have a national obsession with international awards, “which we are proud of”. But beyond the recent international medals in robotics, the movement “from 60 cities in the country and from 236 high school robotics teams” is more important, says the founder of the action that brought robotics to the level of students in Romania.
This year, at the World Robotics Championship First Tech Challenge (FTC), organized for high school students in Houston, in the USA, the first four places were occupied by Romanian teams.
On the 1st place was Velocity, from Brăila. On the second, Heart of RoBots, from Buzău. The teams Quantum Robotics, from Bucharest, and AI Citizens from Focșani, on the third and fourth places.
From zero to hero
Today's ranking speaks for itself: the performance is one that amazes you. Especially if we find out where we left off.
More than a decade ago, when there were already thousands of robotics teams in American high schools, Romania had only one. Students participated at their own expense in international competitions to earn the right to enter the US competition.
This year, eight Romanian teams received invitations to participate directly from the FTC and obtained 15 prizes, including the world title.
Only two counties in Romania do not have robotics teams today
“Today, in 60 cities in the country, there are 236 high school robotics teams, and Romania ranks 1st in Europe by the number of teams registered in the FIRST Tech Challenge and 3rd worldwide, after the USA and China,” says Dana Răzbiu, president of the Nation by Education Association, which holds the FTC license in Romania.
“Only two counties, Covasna and Harghita, do not have robotics teams, and we want to get there as well,” adds Răzpoiu.
She tells that, more important than the international echo, is the multiplication of the network of robotics circles and the competition in Romania. He believes that the move was made without huge publicity, but managed to reach a level that brings emulation in the academic community and beyond.
“The competition in Romania, which is very big, the third in the world. The best teams in the country qualify there, but we have regional ones, we have an entire robotics movement at the national level. I always tell the children who win at the local level: Know that any success, no matter how small, is important. Do you know why? Because some neural structures are created that get you used to the taste of success, which you learn to repeat”, says Dana Războiu.
They don't just learn math and physics
The skills these students assimilate are from many disciplines. They do generally advanced physics and mathematics, but they also learn how to make marketing presentations, explain to the general public and cooperate in a team. In this Friday's edition of the “Partea Bună” newsletter, by HotNews journalist Raluca Ion, you can read how this project was born and how it was possible. And what skills do teenagers develop.
Weekly, every Friday morning, “Partea Bună” highlights successes of Romanians, attempts that push the limits forward and help communities and each of us to keep hoping. You can subscribe to “The Good Side” below.
