We just wrapped up our inaugural underwater robotics season at San Lorenzo Valley, and I’m still processing everything we accomplished together. Thirteen middle school students spent 150 hours building, programming, and piloting remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for the MATE competition - and came away with so much more than a 3rd place regional finish.

More Than Robotics

What started as an after-school robotics program quickly became something deeper. Yes, students learned about electronics, programming, and mechanical systems. But watching them collaborate, present to adults, and support each other through setbacks reminded me why I became a teacher.

The numbers tell part of the story: 13 engaged students, 150 classroom hours, parents who became mentors, and a podium finish above four high school teams. But the real story is in the moments between - students teaching each other, working through frustration together, and celebrating every small breakthrough.

Learning from Mistakes

As our first year, we made plenty of errors. We went over budget (turns out ambitious middle schoolers have expensive ideas). We underestimated how long everything would take. We learned that robotics students learn more from their mistakes than from doing things right the first time.

But that’s exactly what made it authentic. Students saw their teacher learning alongside them, adapting when things didn’t work, and celebrating progress over perfection.

The Pizza Factor

Those 30+ pizzas weren’t just food - they were community builders. Some of our best brainstorming happened around pizza boxes, and sharing meals helped parents, mentors, and students bond in ways that pure technical work never could.

Looking Ahead

We’re already planning for next year with lessons learned and bigger dreams. The goal isn’t just to build better robots, but to build a program that continues developing confident, collaborative problem-solvers who see failure as feedback and teamwork as essential.

The MATE ROV competition asks students to help create “the ocean we need for the future we want.” After this year, I’m convinced our students are ready to tackle that challenge - and many others.

Read the full 2023-24 Annual Report for detailed financials, curriculum, and lessons learned.

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