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Climate Corner

Robots STEM from donations

BY BONNIE NEWMAN
Kraxberger Gearheads, a robotics program for
Published biweekly by sixth- to eighth-graders in Gladstone, wants to
Jewish Federation of tinker with your trash. The afterschool tech club
at Kraxberger Middle School raises money for
Greater Portland its robotics competitions in large part by tearing
9900 SW Greenburg Road, down and recycling old electronics and a wide
Suite 220 variety of other donated goods. Wires, plastic,
Tigard, OR 97223 metal and other scraps are sold to RS Davis Re-
503-245-6219 cycling and Universal Recycling Technology for
JewishPortland.org cash for the club, which will accept 24 members
facebook.com/JewishPDX this fall.
In addition to raising money for the program,
instagram.com/ e-recycling is also a great way for students to
jewishfederationpdx/ gain experience using tools, learn how to take
things apart and see how things work.
Editor Gearheads is run by the husband/wife duo
Deborah Moon Shawn and Kelley Price, who have given their
editor@jewishportland.org time and energy to the club for 10 years. Shawn
started the club after parents requested a STEM
Circulation program on campus. His daughter, who is now
To receive the Jewish 21, was a student at Kraxberger at the time.
Review in your email inbox, Participants work in teams from September un- The Gearheads mascot (logo) watches over a
email your name and email til late January to brainstorm, design, build and robot the Robotics team created. In the fall, a
address to test their robots according to rules set out by the new group of Gearheads will take this robot apart
editor@jewishportland.org First Tech Challenge. (along with all the electronics and recyclable trash
In the process, students learn computer-aided donated over the summer) and design a new ro-
OPINIONS printed in the design, budgeting, 3D-printing, blueprint draw- bot for the 2022-23 competition.
Jewish Review do not ing and team building. Each robot must be built
necessarily reflect those according to competition rules and perform a Tuesdays between 2 and 6 pm.
task specified by the challenge.
Gearheads will take many items not accepted
of the Jewish Review, But according to Shawn, the club “is not about elsewhere:
the Jewish Federation the robots. It’s about teaching (each student) to be • Metal cabinets, shelves, chairs
of Greater Portland, its a good adult.” For example, regular attendance at • Desktop and laptop computers, routers, serv-
governing board or the staffs club sessions is expected and appropriate behav- ers and other electronics
of either the newspaper or ior in school and at home must be maintained. • Large household appliances such as dishwash-
the Federation. Students also learn how to communicate with ers, water heaters, ovens
Submit photos, news each other and with adults. • Cell phones, satellite equipment, telecommu-
Participants also must contribute at least 10 nications equipment
and obituaries to hours to working in the “pile” – the Prices’ nick-
editor@jewishportland.org name for their heap of donated goods. Not only • Exercise equipment
• Pots, pans, silverware
does the money earned from recycled donations • Nails, screws, tools
go toward the $500 each team can use to con- • Hearing aids, prescription glasses.
Federation struct its robots, it also pays for the software used The Prices say they are always looking for vol-
Centennial Trip to design robots, fuel for the truck used to haul unteers to help with tasks like transporting recy-
donations and scholarships for deserving gradu-
clables or towing the club trailer to competitions.
to Israel Reset ates. Students can earn additional money for their They also welcome mentors who can share their
for March 2023 project by working extra hours in the pile. knowledge of computer-aided design or the On-
While many schools operate robotics clubs, bot Java programming tool.
WHEN: March 20-28, 2023 Shawn says he believes theirs is the only one For more information, visit gearheadsrobotics.
WHO: Ages 5 and up in the state that has an e-recycling program to com/programs/e-recycling.htm.
REGISTRATION: support it. Robotics programs and competitions
Jewishportland.org/ are available at all levels of public school, from Bonnie Newman is a member of the Climate
israel2023 pre-kindergarten through high school. Action Committee of the Jewish Federation of
COST: Adults $3,600 (after While students get a summer break, the Pric- Greater Portland. The committee is sharing tips
$1,150 subsidy); es gear up for fall by collecting donations and resources for healing the Earth in a peri-
Youth 5-17: $2,500 (after from office buildings, warehouses and donor’s odic Climate Corner in the Jewish Review. The
$2,250 subsidy) homes all summer long. During the school year, 2-year-old group is committed to the important

donations can be dropped off at the school on work of Tikkun Olam, healing the Earth.
10 Jewish Review July 6, 2022