Tomorrow’s job landscape will not look like today’s. Students at the Timilty Middle School in Roxbury are preparing for that future in a hands-on STEM program using autonomous vehicles.
Called ‘Tiger Works’, this after-school program engages a dozen students in all the aspects of first building, then programming a fully autonomous small robotic car that can drive itself around a complex track.
Hands-on STEM Education
“Tiger Works is an extremely effective way to introduce some important engineering concepts.” Said Marvin Gutierrez, Principal of Timilty Middle School. “Each student assembles a model car, including a small camera and a computer processor. Then they program that on-board computer in Python, so it uses data from the camera to make decisions and issue electronic commands controlling the car.”
MIT Courseware Which Evolved at Madison Park
The students are following a proven curriculum called RACECAR that originated with the MIT – Beaver Works Summer Institute (MIT-BWSI) for high school students. RACECAR is a very popular course at MIT-BWSI and has been offered there every year since 2016.
In 2020, RACECAR was adapted to create the Cardinal Works courseware at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School (MPTVHS) in Boston. Cardinal Works started there as an after-school program but is now incorporated into the standard curriculum. In 2021 it was also offered as a special program at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School.
From Beaver Works to Cardinal Works to Tiger Works
“When we adapted RACECAR for Madison Park, we used the Cardinal mascot name to come up with Cardinal Works.” Observed Jim Sproul, one of the program’s drivers. “My colleague, Royal Bolling, and I decided to do the same thing for the Timilty School; their mascot is the Tiger.”
“At every school, we adapt and improve RACECAR.” Continued Sproul. “Our Tiger Works model cars use some newer tech pieces that are less expensive and actually a little better, thanks to some great work by Bob Cassel, a volunteer for the Cardinal Works program with MIT.”
Teachers Love the Flexibility
A key feature of the RACECAR curriculum is its flexibility. “It is most definitely not ‘teaching to a test.’ ” said Sam Mencher, lead teacher in the Tiger Works robotics program. “I feel like I can be creative, using what I know about my students to adapt the material.”
Bring This Course to Your School
MIT-BWSI, the Madison Park faculty and the Timilty school all want to help bring the RACECAR Program to more students in Boston and beyond. The need for future-focused technology education is clear and RACECAR has proven itself as an outstanding way to meet that need.
For more details, reach out to us. We’d enjoy discussing your specific needs and how RACECAR can help your students prepare for tomorrow.
James Sproul
Co-Founder
jsproul@sproulco.com
Royal Bolling
Co-Founder
royalbolling@yahoo.com
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