Engineering students build robots, improve circuits

Ever wondered how a vending machine’s circuits work? Ever wanted to build a robot?

Students in the engineering, robotics and electronics course at Des Moines Central Campus are getting hands-on experience with real-life applications.

Instructor Richard Homard guides them through nine levels of projects over the course of the school year. He has taught at the school for 19 years after a career in engineering.

Engineering, robotics and electronics is one of the more than 50 courses available to students at Central Campus. It’s part of the engineering program, which also includes Project Lead the Way, civil engineering and architecture classes.

Students start with electronic circuitry and robot fundamentals before moving to the lab, where they build robots to compete against 55 high school teams in the IT-Olympics on the Iowa State University campus the last weekend in April.

Sierra Quenzer, a senior from Lincoln, is working on a HyperStream Lego robot for the ISU competition.

“I am going to ISU (for college) for aerodynamic engineering,” she said. “I wanted to take digital electronics and robotics before I got there, to be prepared.”

She appreciates the problem-solving nature of the class.

“The teacher doesn’t just give you the answers or all the info. You have to figure it out for yourself,” she said.

By the time the class is done, students can “shrink” a circuit to make it more efficient and less expensive. They also can build a seven-segment display (like on a digital alarm clock), a 60-second timer and a copy-jam detector for a printer.

Student in the Central Campus program can earn up to eight Des Moines Area Community College credits. There are 72 students enrolled this spring.

Homard takes classes on field trips to DMACC to observe the robotics program, and to ISU to learn about the engineering and computer science programs. He says about half his students will pursue engineering and robotics work after high school.

Lucas Leonard, a sophomore from Hoover, plans to pursue a career in engineering.

"I wanted something more advanced than what I could get at my home school,” said Leonard, who  wants to make a robot that can solve a Rubik’s Cube.

East High junior Mailyn Huynh is in her third year of Project Lead the Way course work. The STEM-related classes — it stands for science, technology, engineering and math — are part of the engineering block at Central Campus.

“It’s really cool. I’ve always loved technology,” she said.

Huynh wants to go into engineering or computer science — “something STEM-related,” she said.

Homard has seen more high school girls taking his courses in recent years.

“The total number of females for the previous seven years was six, roughly a 23-to-1 ratio. This year, we are currently at 3.4 to 1,” he said.

ABOUT THIS SERIES

The Des Moines Register is taking a look at some of the unique courses — from auto body repair to aviation technology — offered at Des Moines Central Campus. The school draws 1,500 students from 29 central Iowa school districts who take classes in 30 career and technical areas and 35 advanced courses not available at most traditional high schools.

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