A New Chapter: Robotics at POLAHS

At POLAHS, career pathways in marine transportation, welding, and construction have long prepared students for maritime industry careers. The addition of a robotics team represents an exciting expansion of student STEAM opportunities.

The Glacier Gearheads kicked off in the 2024–25 school year. With SPEF grant support, the students designed, built, and competed with their first robot, dubbed “FRANK,” competing in League G and finishing an impressive 5th out of 14 teams in their first outing.

Why This Grant Matters: 

Sparking Innovation: SPEF’s grant enabled students to engage hands-on with robotics, turning classroom theory into real-world engineering challenges.

Summer Resilience: Launching a new team from scratch required dedication—students collaborated through the school year to prototype, program, and pilot their robot.

Building Confidence: Performing strongly in their debut competition shows promise and proves that POLAHS students are ready to compete and learn.

SPEF’s School Project Grants empower teachers and students to launch initiatives that might otherwise remain out of reach. In this case, the grant has transformed a bold idea into a working team.

We can’t wait to see what is next for the Glacier Gearheads at POLAHS!