Page 16 - Aerotech News and Review STEM Special Edition – August 2025

16 August 22, 2025 Aerotech News www.aerotechnews.com
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From TK to seniors, TpAA is all about STEAM
By KC Rawley
Aerotech News STEM Editor
Children are very curious about the world, and an interest in sci- ence comes naturally. But some- where at the beginning of middle school, that curiosity turns away from science, especially for girls. One school thinks they have the key to maintaining science and mathematics interest and partici- pation—start early.
Patrick Brophy, the director of STEAM and robotics at The Palmdale Aerospace Academy in Palmdale, Calif., is tasked with integrating science, technology, electronics, art and mathemat- ics (STEAM) from transitional kindergarten through 12-year, especially across grade levels. Also, a goal is to make the robotics program more robust.
“We’ve had robotics teams here since the beginning, but now we have the FIRST Robotics Compe- tition level (ages 14-18), FIRST Tech Challenge (ages 12-18) and FIRST Lego League (ages 4-16). We’re making sure this year to expand our elementary school so that the goal is every student in every grade level can participate on a robotics team,” said Brophy.
The school’s Harry Potter- themed team Griffingear com- petes at the local regional Aero- space Valley regional, but they’re a year-round team and travel all over California.
A Gryffingear student sets up the team’s 2025 robot for Palm- dale’s National Night Out event. The team was invited to have a booth and share what they do in robotics. The hope is to encour- age more schools to start teams for the new season.
Third grade students use 3D printing pens to create their own designs.
Courtesy photos
TPAA middle school robotics students are competing at the end of semester competition. These are 6th grade students who are men- tored by high school robotics students. The high school students come up with the competition and put on the event.
One of TPAA’s FIRST Tech Challenge robotics teams. This is a group of 9th graders who were all new to robotics. The students are posing with one of the infered turrets attached to the robot.
Some of the robotics teams took a hit during COVID, so TPAA hosted the FTC league tournament here, so Antelope Valley teams don’t have to travel.
That sparked the growth and return of multiple teams at a few different schools like Palmdale High, Highland and Lancaster Schools, according to Brophy. “This next year, we’re adding teams for middle school and ele- mentary teachers. A lot of them.”
The younger students have been doing after-school Lego programs last year and got to play with the Lego Spike prime kits. “Now the kids are eager, and the teachers are eager also to kickstart some teams here so they can go to competitions. We’re hoping through some partnerships in the area that the tournament will be hosted somewhere in the Antelope Val- ley this year,” said Brophy.
“The robotics experience is a great way to get that teamwork going, for the students to ap- ply their STEAM skills, and cooperate with each other in teambuilding. That’s kind of a critical part to enhance the
learning that is happening in the classroom.”
Some of the bigger teams have many roles for students to play, including some not too tech-like. “They’re almost like a little company and where some people are building a robot here, we’ve some other people doing the business side of this look- ing at sponsorships, grants and reaching out to the community for support,” he said.
And student artists are need- ed to design buttons, banners, posters, and to give robots that colorful theatricality when they compete.
“STEAM encourages a lot of project-based learning or hands-on learning in education. Maybe it’s like just doing a fun project for kids to think cre- atively and come up with their own solutions. I think there’s a lot of connection to employment opportunities in the future, es- pecially out here in Aerospace Valley. The tech world is where a lot of high-paying jobs are and getting kids engaged in that and showing the options available can spark interest in something that’s going to
A modified version of the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) field. FLL is for 4th-8th grade students. Gryffingear students were demonstrating robotics and trying to get new families inter- ested in starting teams at at Palmdale’s National Night out.
Gryffingear students in the workshop building robots for the upcoming year. In the background, students are working on computers to CAD the robot.
give them a good future,” Brophy said.
Other pro- grams are aero- space engineer- ing classes for the high school and a drone class.
“I’m proud of what we’re doing here. I think we’re growing, and we have a lot of dedi- cated educators, parents, adminis- trative staff, and our school board who want to make it happen.