School: Mākaha Elementary School
Grade Level: Grades 3-6
Teacher: Jessica Mishima-Donahue and Thelma Medeiros
Driving Question: How can we as the Makaha Robotics team use our Social Emotional Learning skills along with the engineering design process have the most successful robotics season? How can we apply these skills to our everyday lives?
What did the students DO?
The Makaha Robotics team is off to a strong start, blending their Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills with the engineering design process to set themselves up for a successful robotics season. Through structured routines, clear leadership roles, and mentorship between veteran and new members—including the addition of third graders—the team has been making steady progress in building, programming, and driving their robots. Their commitment to excellence, collaboration, and community service has not only propelled them toward competition success but also strengthened their ability to apply these skills to daily life.
- Strong Start with Structure and Leadership: Jessica implemented effective rituals and routines, assigned group leaders, and introduced the engineering notebook early in the season. Students quickly began building and driving robots, adapting well to the “organized chaos” of a growing team.
- Mentorship and Team Collaboration: Veteran students have stepped up as mentors, guiding new members and fostering a team culture built on cooperation, problem-solving, and resilience.
- Mainland Team Collaboration: The team reconnected with a robotics group they met at the World’s Championship in March. They exchanged ideas, demonstrated their robots, shared their engineering journals, and received constructive feedback to improve their performance.
- Competition Success: The team competed in tournaments at Ewa Makai, Waianae Intermediate, and Makakilo Elementary. Their hard work was recognized with the Inspire Award at Waianae Intermediate on December 2, 2023.
- State and World Championship Bound: Two teams advanced to the State Championship in February, and three teams ultimately qualified for the World’s Championship in Dallas, Texas. At Worlds, they earned recognition for their booth display and were celebrated as one of only eight Hawaiʻi teams to compete on the global stage.
- Community Service and Fundraising: Outside of competitions, team members volunteered as field setters and counters at local robotics events. They also operated concessions at tournaments, with all profits supporting the team’s tournament fees, materials, supplies, and travel costs. Fundraising included their first car wash on March 29, 2024.
The Makaha Robotics team exemplifies how technical skill and SEL principles can work hand in hand. By fostering leadership, collaboration, and perseverance, they’ve achieved competitive success while making a meaningful impact in their community. Their journey—from mentoring younger students to earning recognition at the World’s Championship—demonstrates that robotics is not just about engineering, but also about building strong relationships, contributing to the community, and striving for excellence both on and off the competition field.
