Whiz Kids Of The Week: The Ahern School 'Robodocs'

Lego’s, robotics and the song "Shipping up to Boston," by the Dropkick Murphys are not all what you would expect when learning about a new club at the Ahern Middle School, but that is exactly the combination that sent the "Robodocs" team home with a trophy.

In November 2010, the School Committee accepted a $9,087 gift from Invensys to start a grade 8 robotics elective course at the Ahern Middle School. The grant aided in funding a new after school club, cleverly named the "Robodocs."

Students Garrett Christie, Sam Berns, C.J. Decker, Parker Feldman, Patrick Elias, Jack Fletcher, Kevin Hickey, Connor Hogan, Harry Madden, Devan Tierney, Erika Snow, Tyler Vito, David Washburn, with the help of their coaches, Ms. McDonough and Ms. Tetreault, set out on a mission to compete in the State's first Lego League championship.

With no prior programming experience, the Robodocs were determined to spend as much time as allowed to build and program an autonomous robot using Lego Mindstorms technology. Equally impressive, The Robodocs also spent their time researching Musicogenic Seizures, which are described as "seizures induced by music."

"Some days, we would miss 3 periods trying to finish this project. We would put it together, only to take it all apart again," said the Robodocs.

After 2 months of hard work and numerous set backs, the Robodocs won one of only 16 trophies awarded. 65 teams from schools across the State competed.

The Robodocs presented a slideshow, played to the theme song "Shipping up to Boston," of their work to the School Committee in January.

Superintendent, Christopher Martes, was impressed by the student's ambition.

"After watching the video, you forget about the messiness of science. Sometimes you have to take it apart, to get it right," Martes said.

The Robodocs would like to thank Invensys for its continued support.