STEM education has once again come into the spotlight, with the Department of Basic Education recently adding coding and robotics to the subject roster to be offered from Grades R to 9.
Also read: Department of Basic Education to add new subject in SA schools
Meanwhile, a passion for robotics has come into the spotlight after Matt Greenwood, a Grade 9 Koa Academy learner from Cape Town, shined at the 2024 FIRST® Tech Challenge international competition alongside his South African and international teammates.
The 15-year-old joined over 18 000 youths from 58 countries in Houston, Texas, USA for a thrilling four-day event that drew crowds of up to 50 000 people.
In the challenge’s finale, Matt’s South African team TEXPAND joined forces with Romanian team AICitizens and Californian team The Clueless to demonstrate their team-built robots and take top honours as the Winning Alliance.
‘It was a fantastic experience for us all and exciting to see TEXPAND performing at such a high level. It’s particularly challenging for us as South Africans as all the robotic parts we need have to be imported from the USA at a high cost. So, we compete on a much smaller budget than many of the US and other international teams,’ says Matt.
‘Getting our team all the way to Houston is also a major fund-raising challenge. This was our second year in competition and being picked by AICitizens to be part of their alliance was great. Next year, we aim that TEXPAND will be the team that gets to pick its allies in the challenge.’
In addition to experiencing the thrills of competing, the event gave Matt and his teammates a chance to visit two tech companies, ARC and Rugged Robotics, which offered them a glimpse into what amazing things are happening in the tech industry.
According to insights from Matt’s mom, Lucy Greenwood, it’s evident that Matt has garnered a wide range of benefits from his involvement in TEXPAND And robotics competitions:
‘The team must navigate a range of challenges in designing, building and demonstrating the performance of their robots. They have a limited budget compared to other teams and must think laterally and get inventive about finding workable design solutions,’ says Lucy.
‘For instance, this year the team included used materials such as an ice cream container while prototyping and their final design has some unique elements which were recognised by receiving the tournament’s Control Award,’ she adds.
‘At the competitions, teams are also assessed on criteria such as “gracious professionalism” which speaks to the ways that they interact with opponents and allies. So, while there’s a strong focus on developing STEM skills, other skills are equally important.’
Matt credits his interest in robotics, engineering and tech to his childhood love of Lego, and in his school years, he has had a long-standing affinity for Mathematics and Science and shows a natural aptitude for critical thinking.
Encouraged by a friend, he first got involved in TEXPAND in 2022 as an apprentice. ‘I love the cool stuff and all the ongoing advancements in robotics which are going to be world-changing,’ says Matt.
Matt joined Koa Academy in 2024 after years of homeschooling. Thanks to the flexibility of online schooling, he has been able to seamlessly fulfil his TEXPAND team duties and is now the senior member responsible for strategy and some of the media aspects of TEXPAND’s marketing.
‘We’re incredibly proud of Matt! It’s a stunning achievement and testimony to his talent and dedication, and that of his fellow team members,’ says Koa Academy principal Mark Anderson.
‘Creating an enabling school environment so that our learners can pursue their passions and be immersed in real-world endeavours such as robotics is one of the hallmarks of a Koa education.’
Anderson added that Matt’s experiences as a TEXPAND team member are invaluable.
‘He’s not only actively cultivating vital 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving, but he is also dynamically developing as a communicator, collaborator and team worker.’
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Picture: Supplied
