Building Beyond the Classroom: GSB’s Robotics Team Prepares for Competition 

Team Chaos, the GSB Upper School Robotics TEAM, is gearing up for another high-tech season of competition!  

Students recently gathered in the robotics room during meeting time to kick off the design and manufacturing process for their newest robot. Club Advisor and Upper School Director, Dr. Joel Coleman P ’22, along with team members, shared insights on their work and goals for the season. 

How did you get involved in robotics? 

“I’ve been a part of the Robotics Team since Eighth Grade through our Middle School Tech Program,” Alberto Diaz ’26 said. “It’s an amazing community because we get to be creative and learn to solve problems—like when we used a piece of carpet to solve a friction problem.” 

“When I was in Lower and Middle School, I attended robotics matches and thought they looked like fun. I knew I wanted to try it,” Ellie Procaccino ’28 said. 

Why do you call yourselves a TEAM? Isn’t robotics a club? 

“One of the most important experiences for the robotics team is learning to respond to unexpected challenges and solve crises,” Dr. Coleman explained. “This kind of growth through adversity is similar to what happens on an athletic team. Since we compete in FIRST Robotics at local, regional, and national levels, we think of ourselves as a team, not just a club.” 

What is COOPERTITION? 

“FIRST Robotics promotes the idea of ‘Coopertition,’ which aligns with GSB’s values,” Dr. Coleman shared. “Coopertition encourages innovation by promoting kindness and respect in the face of competition. It means that teams help each other even as they compete.” 

“The competition is such a fun experience,” said Diaz. “You meet so many different people, and the way it is set up, you end up making friends out of competitors.” 

What is one misunderstanding about robotics? 

“People often don’t think of robotics as a creative process and tend to put it in a STEM-only box,” Dr. Coleman noted. “But each year, the team is given a set challenge with parameters, and creativity comes through how the students design and build a robot that meets those challenges. The creative process is integral to the design, fabrication, and programming work required to complete the project.” 

What is it that you actually do in robotics? 

“The process is very hands on,” Diaz stated. “I’ve made the frame for the robot, the clear support box, and the grabbers—all of it based upon the ideas that the designers have come up with.” 

“This is my first year, and I’m getting used to all the different parts of the robot before deciding what I want to focus on,” Procaccino explained. “I’m looking forward to contributing and really understanding how to build the components.” 

How does the Robotics Team support the Upper School curriculum? 

“Everything we do here is tied into other parts of our curriculum,” Dr. Coleman said. “Our programmers have come out of AP Computer Science, our designers from our 3D art classes, and our fabricators—or anyone interested in more technical skills—take our robotics and engineering class. There is also a crossover with the advanced math classes offered through our NJIT Dual Enrollment program.” 

How does robotics tie into your future plans?  

“I’ve been thinking about going into mechanical engineering, and this is a great way to get a sense of what that career would be like,” Diaz said. “I’ve learned so much about the mechanical engineering of the robot, and the ways in which to manipulate play pieces.” 

“I’m just starting out so I’m not sure what I want to do in the future,” Procaccino explained. “But I know that I am going to learn a lot, and I’m excited to join a team where I can really contribute instead of just observing.” 

How does the robotics program at Gill St. Bernard's extend learning beyond the classroom walls? 

“Part of the design process is presenting your ideas to others and having a public response to what you’ve done,” Dr. Coleman explained. “We start small by showing our robot to the Lower School, and on the larger scale, we bring it to business offices and other public spaces. The program is about the academic pursuit inside the classroom—and about solving real world problems. We want our students to create solutions to problems that will serve the wider community. After all, the world is our classroom.”