CISD's Leah Schwedler has built an international powerhouse in Robotics
The district has one of the top Robotics programs in the world after only nine years
I bet you didn’t know that Carroll ISD has one of the most decorated and recognized robotics programs in the world. Well, it does, thanks in no small part to the hard work and dedication of Leah Schwedler, who heads the nine-year-old program, one that is known nationally and internationally for the quality of the kids and the instruction they’re provided, in addition to how well the former performs in competition.
I discovered the program more than a year ago, when several parents—some of whom lived in competing districts—mentioned it as being among the best in the nation. A few of those parents had kids in the program and raved about how well it prepared the students for college, too. My daughter, who is in the Comp Sci/Engr STEM track at Carroll ISD, jumped at the opportunity and has thrived in the program. (She’s part of the first group of 10th graders admitted to the program.)
The end-of-year banquet was held Friday, and the praise for Ms. Schwedler was constant from students, all of whom spoke of the impact the program has had on their education. I’m excited that my daughter has Robotics and Rockets over the next two years.
By the Numbers: Carroll ISD Robotics Program
More than 100 students
9th year of the program
16 teams
Two teams bought home the first 6A UIL VEX robotics championship
Hosted the Texas Region 2 championship
By the Numbers: Vex World Championship
24,000 - 25,000 teams globally
~810 teams compete at the world championship.
320 teams make it to the elimination round
40 teams make it to the division finals
By the Numbers: Southlake at Vex World Championship
5 teams competed at world
3 teams made it to the elimination stage.
2 teams made it to the division finals — Teams 7110A and Z
My daughter Arden and two of her classmates
Shared below is a large portion of Ms. Schwedler’s speech to students and parents during the end-of-year banquet.
"In addition to program successes, we had many team victories as well. For the first time in 7110 history, not just one, but two of our teams made it to the division finals at VEX Worlds, namely Team 7110A and Z. The dedication, hard work, and relentless pursuit of excellence paid off, as the teams conquered the challenges posed by this prestigious event. We also take immense pride in being recognized as champions in the UIL competition. This is the first year that VEX robotics has been a UIL event and it was very special to win it the first year.
"Additionally, we had outstanding performances by several of our first year teams. Teams 7110E, H & S qualified for the VEX World Championship and performed exceptionally well at the event. The overall improvement in performance of our teams on a global scale over the past nine years is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the students in this program."
She continued: "Although it is easy to focus on the achievements of a few of our teams, I want to highlight the experiences gained by all of the students in this program. Students were placed on teams and faced with a challenge that required them to think critically and problem solve. They learned many technical aspects of building and coding robots, but they also learned to work with others and communicate more effectively. These real world skills will be useful as they continue on whatever path their future takes them.
"While we bask in the glory of our achievements, we must also acknowledge that our journey doesn't end here. Our ambitions reach even greater heights, and we aspire to continue representing our community on the global stage."
