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Branksome Hall News
Record-Setting Robotics: The Branksome Robotics Team Makes School History
The Branksome community has always celebrated and encouraged women in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Whether that is discussing the achievements of women in a science class, participating in a competition or joining a club, there is always a way for students to get involved. For the students in the Robotics Club, exploring their passion for STEM recently led them to making Branksome history.
Robotics is an after-school club for Senior & Middle School students interested in code, design and all things engineering. Each year, the Highlanders participate in VEX Robotics competitions, where students compete locally in a series of competitions based on an annual challenge. This year’s challenge was called “Spin Up,” which required the team to construct a bot that could perform tasks such as spinning rollers to match their team colour and loading and launching disks into high goals. The students had remarkable success in their competitions this year, ranking amongst the top 10 teams in many of their regional competitions.
The BH Highlanders competed with the aim of qualifying for the VEX World Championships, and although they did not make it this year, the team still managed to set an impressive BH record. “Over this school year, the team competed in five competitions and made it to provincials for the first time in Branksome history,” said Lily, one of the club’s Co-Heads. This accomplishment was no small feat, as the team battled against many talented teams from across the city to make it to this challenging competition.
As a team from a girls’ school, the students felt a sense of pride to be participating and making an impact in an industry where the efforts and contributions of women often go unrecognized. “Women like Allie Miller, Claire Delaunay, Nichol Bradford and Samantha Edds are just a few robotics trailblazers to recognize in 2023,” said team member Heidi. “It is an exciting time for women to continue to make a difference in robotics.
As the school year comes to a close, the Robotics Club is already looking forward to the 2023–24 school year, excited to start preparing for their next round of competitions. Student interest in STEM at Branksome Hall is growing, and students are eager to learn more about how they can make an impact in these fields. The construction of the iCAST building at 10 Elm will also give students even more opportunities to get involved in STEM.
Congratulations to the Highlanders on an impressive year of competitions! The community looks forward to hearing all about your incredible results next year.
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LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We wish to acknowledge this land on which Branksome operates. For thousands of years, it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit River. Today, this meeting place is still the home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and go to school on this land.
Setting the new standard for girls' education everywhere takes collective action. From all of us.
