OSKALOOSA, Iowa — In a room bustling with parts and creativity, students at Oskaloosa High School (OHS) are building more than robots—they’re shaping leadership skills and preparing for future careers.
The school’s robotics program, now an official class, is providing unique opportunities for students to dive into hands-on engineering, problem-solving, and teamwork.
“Our robot is designed for the ‘Into the Deep’ challenge,” said Oliver Smith, an OHS senior in his first year of robotics. “We’re building it with a claw to grab blocks and move them into high or low buckets.”
Smith, who decided to join the class after a conversation with teacher Cory Sheeley, finds the project rewarding.
“It’s really fun, and it gives us experience working together and developing skills,” he said. “I feel like it’s something I will take with me long after high school.”
This year marks a shift for the robotics program, which transitioned from an after-school club to an in-school class. This change makes robotics more accessible, encouraging a broader range of students to participate.
Elizabeth Burg, a sophomore in her second year with the team, noted the difference the new structure has made.
“Last year, it was a club, and we worked in a cramped room with six of us. Now, with more space and resources, we get things done faster,” she said. “Having more students is great, but it also means learning how to collaborate with a lot of new people.”
Logan Meek, a senior and the team’s lead programmer, emphasized the importance of adapting to the larger group.
“We’ve moved from one or two teams to three,” he said. “It’s a lot more work teaching the new members, but it’s worth it because we’re all learning different aspects of robotics. Instead of just programming, I’m doing a bit of everything, which helps me grow and teach others.”
Meek’s programming expertise is an asset to the whole class and presents an opportunity for him to learn new skills. He’s often relied on to guide other students who are new to coding and robotics.
“The team’s success depends on all of us learning to fill different roles,” he said.
The robotics program at OHS reaches beyond the school walls. Students are part of the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), a competitive robotics program that encourages inter-team collaboration across schools.
“FTC has this motto called ‘gracious professionalism,’” said Meek. “We’re not just competing—we’re sharing and learning from other teams. At competitions, if a team needs a part or some programming advice, we help each other out. Last year, another team taught us about a power input delivery loop right in the middle of a competition.”
Burg echoed the spirit of collaboration she’s seen at these events.
“Last year, we worked really well with a team from Ottumwa. They even lent us controllers when we forgot ours,” she said. “It’s all about building connections. These competitions show that teamwork isn’t just within our team—it’s with everyone around us.”
For students like Smith, Meek, and Burg, OHS’s well-equipped robotics program offers opportunities they may not find elsewhere.
“We have a lot of resources here, from tools to parts. It’s amazing because we can create bigger, more complex projects,” Smith said. “In some schools, parts and tools are limited. But here, we can buy what we need. It lets us do so much more.”
Piper Hadsell, an OHS sophomore and a first-year member of the robotics team, has been learning the ropes of design software and 3D printing from her teammates.
“I’m picking up things like AutoCAD, learning about measurements and how to create curves in designs,” she said. Piper transferred to Oskaloosa Schools from Pella, where resources for hands-on projects like robotics were much scarcer.
“In Pella, we didn’t have the same tools or space,” she said. “Here, we have everything we need, from drills to parts. It makes a huge difference in what we can actually accomplish.”
While many students are using the class to explore interests in engineering and IT, others see it as a chance to develop teamwork and leadership skills that will help them in diverse fields. Burg, who hopes to become an author, sees the experience as valuable in ways that go beyond technology.
“This is a great team-working environment,” she said. “Even though I want to be an author, I know these skills will help me down the line. I’ve met people I might never have met outside of this program.”
For some, the experience is already shaping their future ambitions. Meek, who plans to pursue IT, sees the robotics class as the ideal foundation. “I’m a big IT person,” he said, adding that the technical and problem-solving skills he’s developed are laying the groundwork for his career. Smith is also considering a future in engineering, although he’s still exploring his options.
Sheeley, the robotics teacher, fosters this collaborative and innovative environment. By encouraging students to take ownership of their learning, he’s creating a program that’s about not only building robots, but also building leaders.
“He’s always making sure everyone has something to work on,” Burg said of Sheeley. “If one team is struggling, he’s there to offer guidance or to suggest working with another team.”
With competitions on the horizon, the team is focused yet optimistic.
“There’s definitely pressure as meets get closer, but we all support each other,” Burg said. “And when we’re not working on our own robot, there’s always another team that needs help. It’s a supportive community.”
As students in the robotics program look toward future competitions and post-high school plans, they are proving that with the right tools and guidance, they can build more than robots—they can build bright futures.
