HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Twenty-one teams from seven school districts filled the gym at Hopewell High School on Friday for a special robotics tournament, but for many participants, it wasn’t about winning.
The event was part of the new Unified Robotics program, which brings together students from across Allegheny and Beaver counties.
“Unified is truly unifying special education students with their peers gen-ed students,” said Richelle Montgomery who’s a learning support teacher at Hopewell High School.
Unified Robotics focuses on collaboration and inclusivity, rather than traditional competition. “It’s not about getting the most switches or the most points,” said Anna Blake, a STEAM teacher at Elizabeth Forward. “It’s all about working with your team.”
Students worked together to design and build robots, applying problem-solving and engineering skills. “As a team, we all worked together to build the robot,” said Jeremiah Monelle, a 10th grader at Hopewell. “We’ve had our issues, but we’ve done a lot together including problem-solving.”
The trophies awarded at the end of the event highlighted more than just technical achievement. Categories like collaboration, creativity, and inclusivity were recognized, reinforcing the program’s focus on teamwork. “Not everybody has a certain skillset,” Monelle said. “The other awards include other people.”
Unified Robotics also provides students with skills that extend beyond the classroom. “You don’t need to overcome adversity alone,” Monelle said.
The program emphasizes a sense of unity among students, regardless of their backgrounds. “We don’t identify them by their special ed identification,” said Richelle Montgomery, a learning support teacher at Hopewell. “Creating an environment where you strip those terms and just let them be who they are and see those interactions I can see a lot of growth with this program.”
Hopewell’s event was only the second of its kind in the state, but there are already plans for a third in Allegheny County this spring.
If you want to learn more about the program and get your school involved, you can visit https://www.roboticstogether.com/get-involved.
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