By CALEB FOX
Staff Reporter
Talent and determination have come together at Oakdale High School to foster the growth of the Oakdale High Robotics Club. Since its inception in the 2023-24 school year, Oakdale High Robotics Club has steadily grown from its original four officers to 12 to 15 students with varying interests in programming, engineering, and computer science. They had an information table set up on the high school campus during the recent ‘Club Rush’ event, when clubs get to showcase their group to the student body.
“Last year, we wanted to do something different, so we got a group of guys together and filled out the paperwork,” Oakdale High School senior and OHS Robotics Club President Cooper Fox said of initially forming the on-campus club.
The group of students works together using CAD design, 3D-printing, Python and JavaScript, and most importantly, focuses their energy and expertise to create robots to compete in the Stanislaus County Occupational Olympics.
During their first year of competition after forming the Oakdale High Robotics Club, the members received first and third place honors in the Stanislaus County Occupational Olympics and have claimed first and second place in their second year.
“As of 2019, we didn’t teach a single programming language at the high school,” said OHS staff member Joe Gilbert, a programming language teacher and co-advisor of the Oakdale High Robotics Club.
From nothing to a competitive and consistent team of programmers and engineers in five years shows just how valuable the introduction of more STEM-related responsibilities can be at the high school level, said officials.
When Gilbert was approached by Fox and Brody Lev, Vice President of the Oakdale High Robotics Club, about starting the club, he only had one question: “Do I want to be around students who work hard and are strong at what they do? Yes, of course.”
Now, several weeks into the new school year, the Oakdale High Robotics Club aims to add more events to its agenda instead of only going to the Stanislaus County Occupational Olympics. They want to include an event similar to a Battle Bot-style competition. With designs and logistics still in development, members of this student-led organization take everything one step at a time to ensure they are making steady progress and keeping learning and safety as top priorities. Current Oakdale High Robotics Club officers include Fox as president, Lev as vice president, Ryan Lo as secretary, and Aarya Chaudhuri as treasurer.
The Oakdale High Robotics Club is also looking for sponsors and organizations to help them fund their projects and competitive events. For more information, contact oakdalerobotics@gmail.com
