Usually, the focus of any discussion regarding Gloucester's schools centers on financial and other problems. And that's understandable, given that the city is poised to shut down a school and students are leaving for other districts — taking city dollars with them.
But amid all the politics of education, it's also important to note that, within Gloucester school walls, there is a whole lot of learning going on. And the innovative efforts of a group of Gloucester High School students has once again served as a reminder of that.
Working with physics instructor Kurt Lichtenwald, some 50 students — encompassing all four classes — have developed and produced a fully functioning robot that they'll bring to a state competition next month. Their 5-foot-long creation weighs more than 100 pounds and features two "arms," auto-style steering, a range finder that allows it to stop and turn to avoid contact, and a mounted camera that allows students to steer it from a computer.
The robotics project — which has drawn a $10,000 funding boost from the private, nonprofit Gloucester Education Foundation — not only represents a sound lesson in engineering and today's technology.
It's also the kind of hands-on learning experience that energizes kids about education. That's especially important to remember when the very structure of Gloucester's school system stands at something of a crossroads.
Politics and fiscal problems can create educational minefields for any school system. But the robotics project and others show that the students and teachers continue to succeed despite the external turmoil. That's good to know.
