WMS students turn big ideas into real-world inventions 

Big ideas were on full display in Jayson Escalera’s seventh grade technology class at Washingtonville Middle School, where students teamed up to invent, design, build and code original creations, then presented them in a Shark Tank-style pitch session during the week before winter break. 

The project, adapted from the Project Lead The Way Automation and Robotics curriculum, challenged students to follow the engineering design process to solve a real-world problem for a client of their choice.

One standout project came from students Reilly Gabriel, Alia Clarke, Hayden Maushardt and Ella Di Pasquale.

“At first we were thinking of building something to annoy our siblings,” Alia laughed. “But then we started thinking about actual struggles people go through and how we could help.”

That’s when the group came up with the idea for a shopping cart equipped with a mechanical arm, designed to help people with disabilities navigate the grocery store more independently.

Once they settled on a design, the team began by building the cart base and frame, a process that required patience, communication and a lot of troubleshooting. 

“Figuring out the wheels took awhile,” Hayden said. “At first we were going to use the big bands, but the metal started to bend inward, so instead we built a square frame on the bottom to hold the wheels in place.”

The group thought through every detail. The cart is powered by a small computer that connects to motors controlling both the wheels and the arm. Using a wireless controller, students can drive the cart, raise and extend the arm to reach items on shelves and even lift groceries into a car. They also designed durable, all-weather tires to keep the cart sturdy in harsh conditions. 

Throughout the entire process, each team member contributed to building, coding and design. This all hands on deck approach became key to their success.

“You kind of just have to all agree on something that everyone put work into,” Reilly said. “If you keep second guessing yourselves, you run out of time and won’t get anything done.”

Another creative project came from students Gabriella Russo, Ayla Clarke, Shea Truax, Scarlet Horne and Ivanna Lizano, whose group engineered a fully functioning mini vending machine.

“We know how much people need snacks to get through the day, so we decided a vending machine would be helpful,” Scarlet explained. “But snacks can also be expensive, so we came up with a subscription idea.”

Not only did the group design and construct the machine and fill it with miniature versions of popular snacks, they also developed a business model. Their plan would market the machine to schools using a subscription service, reducing restocking responsibilities while keeping costs low.

For Mr. Escalera, watching the projects evolve each year never gets old.

“I love this assignment because it evolves with every new group of students that enter my classroom,” he said. “Every year, I think I know what to expect, and every year, I am shocked by the level of creativity they bring to the table.”

He was especially impressed by the independence and perseverance students demonstrated as they worked through setbacks that required redesigns or rebuilds.

“Watching them move past that frustration to find genuine satisfaction, excitement and joy when it all finally comes together and works… that makes it all worthwhile,” he said.

Congratulations to both groups for successfully securing a deal with the Sharks, earning extra credit points, their choice of a special classroom prize and the satisfaction of seeing their big ideas pay off!