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21 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,S eptem ber 17,2020 insidehalton.com McMaster Learning for 55+ Enhance your creativity, learn a new technical skill or simply experience the joy of lifelong learning. All from the comfort of your home. Popular topics in: • Health & Well-being • Business & Technology • Arts & Science Learn more today at learn55.mcmaster.ca Online courses designed for mature adults. Business in Oakville Orbit Robotics builds skills and hands-on teamwork Orbit Robotics is a community team that brings stu- dents from Halton Region and surrounding areas to ex- perience hands-on learning in STEM. Students can now enroll to be part of the team for this season. The team is independent of school boards and is led by volunteer mentors who have several years of experience guiding students on FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) teams. Orbit Robotics is perfect for students interested in gaining practical experiences in coding, program design, electrical and manufacturing, media or business applica- tions. Mentor Peter Lowes says the group was created as a response to the lack of robotics teams offered in many high schools. "We offer our programs to anyone who can't access a similar program at their school," he explains. "The demands of a robotics team on a high school stu- dent are fairly high. If you're on a robotics team, it can make being part of other extracurricular activities time constraining. We want to be the solution for that," says Lowes. Orbit's meetings begin at 7 p.m., long after most after school programs are over. Students don't have to compromise on after school clubs and programs they can join. The goal of Orbit Robotics is to get its members excited about science and technology. Mentors strongly encour- age members to pursue post-secondary education in STEM subjects. The activities are designed to build skills needed to create a sophisticated robot, from design to coding and operating using computer-aided design (CAD). "We encourage members to learn all the aspects of ro- botics," says Lowes. "This way, they have a reasonable grasp on concepts and skills at the post-secondary level if they choose to pursue engineering, computer program- ing or design." In the past two seasons, Orbit team members have competed at the provincial and world championship level, which is an excellent reflection of their program. Mem- bers will build teamwork and conflict resolution skills while creating a strong sense of camaraderie. Visit 1360.ca for more information and registration de- tails. Orbit Robotics helps its members develop their science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics skills through participation in FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) programs. Photo provided by Orbit Robotics Advertorial