While academics, athletic achievements, and social events often take center stage at James Buchanan High School, one of the most innovative and rapidly growing organizations remains quietly at work behind the scenes: the Robotics Club.
This high-tech club, composed of a small but passionate group of seven to eight students, is dedicated to learning how to design, build, and program a variety of robots. Students work with platforms such as VEX Robotics and Boe-Bots to bring their engineering ideas to life. One of the standout features of the club is its prized drone, maintained and operated primarily by the upperclassmen.
The drone has become the Robotics Club’s most ambitious project. It’s used to capture aerial footage of the school’s athletic facilities and elementary campuses. Junior Kiersten Siko and senior Whitney Deshong, both active members, often spend their time in the workshop either piloting the drone or working through software challenges.
“Right now, it’s having software issues, so we’re figuring that out,” said Deshong, highlighting the club’s emphasis on problem-solving and hands-on learning.
Looking ahead, the Robotics Club is preparing to enter competitions throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland, testing their robots and skills against other schools.
“We are learning how to program and build the robots in anticipation of entering several competitions across the state,” said Mr. Bill Brooks, the club’s advisor.
In addition to competition prep, the club is also participating in the upcoming Homecoming parade. Their float will follow a movie theme, aligning with this year’s Hollywood-inspired Homecoming celebration.
Despite the complexity and time commitment involved in building and programming, the students find the work incredibly rewarding.
“It’s a fun experience. It’s really exciting when you see something you worked on for three weeks walk three inches,” said Siko.
At James Buchanan, the Robotics Club is proving that innovation, creativity, and technical skill are just as essential to student life as academics and sports. The future here is not just digital—it’s robotic.
