Malvern High School’s robotic team is all about ambition and passion.
Calling themselves MS3000, they are full of ideas and plans to change the world one idea at a time. Robotics mentor Christinah Ngoy, started with the team in 2013 when she was in Grade 8. Joburg East Express asked Ngoy what it means to be a robotic mentor. She said, “I support them with research and what needs to be done in the project.”
She said you don’t need to be smart to build a robot. “You need to be innovative, creative and committed.”
The team has been participating in the First Lego League which is an international Robotics Team competition for children from the age of nine to 16. The school has been part of the competition for the past five years and has won two trophies. The first trophy was in 2014 for Robot Programming and the second one was last year for a Research Presentation.
Class teacher and coach, Mqabuko Ncube said he is very proud of how the team has committed themselves in the competitions. “I encourage them to decide on their own how they are going to execute the project and assist where I see that they are [struggling] but everything is done by them. It helps them develop the ability to work as a team,” said Ncube.
He said the robotic competition is a great way to introduce youngsters to the fun, exciting world of science and technology.
Ngoy said that being part of the robotic team has taught her a lot about herself and the world. “We get to meet different people with different ideas from us. We get to learn from each other and that has made us be a family,” she explained.
She encourages other schoolchildren to join the team for the experience and knowledge. “We get to solve real-life problems using science and technology. You also get to know your strengths and weaknesses. But most importantly, you need to be committed because a lot of work goes into it,” concluded Ngoy.
Read: Malvern Youngsters beat City Killers
Is your school doing exciting things? Share them with us on the Joburg East Express Facebook page
