Custom-made Christmas tree ornaments combine cutting edge technology with community spirit while supporting Lorain Schools’ future makers and doers.
After a school year of virtual programming, the Longfellow Middle School Robotics Team returned to in-person competition this school year.
The team also is selling holiday ornaments as one of its main fundraisers.
“It’s a good way for us to raise money because sometimes it’s harder for us to get sponsors,” said Robotics Coach Denise Fahrney, who integrates student ideas to design the pieces.
New to robotics
The Robotics Team has a Glowforge Plus laser cutter that was a grant donation from Bendix Corp.
The laser can be programmed to cut and etch clear acrylic in any number of shapes. The team uses it to make robotics trophies, holiday ornaments and keychains.
The team introduced the ornaments in fall 2019 and sold 335, raising more than $1,000 for the program.
Production lasted from the end of October to the beginning of December.
“I was working and the kids were peeling like crazy,” Fahrney said. The sheets of acrylic are covered with adhesive paper to protect the material from scorching, so the coaches and students must peel it off the finished ornaments.
“It kind of gets a little tedious because you have to do every nook and cranny, but they love doing it,” Fahrney said.
The pieces are tied with ribbons and packed into gift bags with thank-you cards.
The ornament sales went on hold last year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“So we’re back this year, back strong, hoping that, we’ve had a year off, hopefully people will want our awesome ornaments,” Fahrney said. “It’s great for a fundraiser but it’s great for the town to have something special.”
The designs deal with more than just the Robotics Team. There are tributes to Titans sports programs, band, JROTC and past schools and mascots, including the Admiral King High School Admirals, Southview High School Saints and Lorain High School Steelmen.
Favorite patterns
As of Nov. 17, the team had sold 69 ornaments.
“I want to be able to buy one. I want to buy a snowflake,” said Nora Suleski, 13, an eighth-grader and first-year robotics team member.
It is a favorite “because I’m known as the snowflake in my house, because my birthday’s coming up in December,” Suleski said.
“I also like the snowflake,” said sixth-grader Cameron Tucker, 12.
“The snowflake’s really pretty,” Suleski said.
Preparing to win
On Nov. 17, the students at practice were programming and tweaking their computers, controllers and machines.
This year’s competition is “Tipping Point,” with robots built to scoop up plastic rings and put them on a post on movable bases. Then the machines must lift the bases and balance them on a teeter-totter.
Longfellow Robotics usually has 12 to 15 students that subdivide into three teams under one program. Team Titanious will operate the robot Godzilla.
Suleski and Tucker were joined by Raelynn Brown, 11, a sixth-grader, working on the robot Pikachu for Team Chronus.
Telaya Lusan, 12, a seventh-grader, was working on her project book. Eighth-graders Jousleirys Villanueva, 13, Selina Castro, 15, and Aubrey Nichols,13, were putting their finishing touches on the robot She-Hulk for Team Prometheus, an all-girl squad.
“The best part, in my opinion, was the arms,” Villaneuva said. “I really enjoyed putting them together, putting all the gears and all the challenges that came in the way.”
The next day was to be packing day for Nov. 19, the first tournament of the year at Brecksville-Broadview Heights City Schools.
“Knock on wood, we’ve spent a lot of time working and trying to do our best building the robot,” Castro said. “It came with a lot of challenges but we prevailed and I think we’re going to do pretty good.”
The group is impressive because the 2020-2021 robotics instruction dealt with online programming and this year’s team had just two returning students, said Assistant Coach Ryan Dickason.
“To have these kids never really see what robotics is about and to have them build the robots and work the way that they do as a team, is just remarkable,” he said.
Place your order
Order forms are available through the Longfellow Robotics Team Facebook page, the Lorain City Schools Facebook page and through lorainschools.org. Order forms with payments can be dropped off or mailed to the school, 305 Louisiana Ave., Lorain.
Ornaments cost $5; acrylic keychains are $7 and wood keychains are $10.
Completed orders can be picked up at the school or sent to other Lorain City Schools buildings for pickup.
Dec. 10 is the final day for orders but sooner is better to ensure timely production.
For more information, email Fahrney at dfahrney@loraincsd.org.
Bendix Corp., Nordson Corp. and other local businesses sponsor the Robotics Team.
