HOWELL – The Howell Police Athletic League is all about fostering good relations between the Howell police and the community, while helping all children who enter their programs realize their potential. One part of the organization’s mission statement on its website states that, through athletics, recreation, education, and community service, the PAL provides an engaging, safe outlet for all children to reach their potential and be involved in the Howell community in many different capacities.
One key part of unlocking the children’s potential is helping them believe they can do anything they set their minds to.
As a part of their after-school programs, the Howell PAL offers a program called the Howell PAL STEM Playground Robotics program, where young children learn different aspects of code, engineering, and design in order to create a robot that goes with the theme of the class. The program just finished up their Mythical Creatures course, where the young engineers were challenged to create a mythical creature of their choice, and will now be heading into their Battle Bots and Pet Bots course. The Pet Bots portion of the program centers on programming robots to carry out routines and behaviors, while Battle Bots brings engineering to life as students reinforce frames, create interchangeable tools, and test solutions in the arena.
On top of learning the various technical skills that come with courses, the young engineers are learning another valuable lesson: to believe in themselves.
In every session, students are encouraged to take ownership of their ideas, push through frustration, and keep testing when a design doesn’t work the first time. Robots stall. Attachments fall off. Code behaves unexpectedly. Each setback becomes a chance to grow and try again. If something does not work, the young engineers are encouraged to use problem-solving skills to find a way to keep pushing forward.
Mentors remind students that they control the outcome, and that determination, teamwork, and confidence can turn obstacles into breakthroughs. It is through this encouragement that the young engineers are encouraged to keep working through setbacks and find solutions to their machine’s issues. Slowly, their mindset shifts. Students stop saying, “I can’t,” and start asking, “What if we try this instead?”
Every student received a trophy for completing the course; however, despite the satisfaction they got from the award at the moment, they left the program with something much more.
“They love taking home the trophy, but the real takeaway is the confidence they gain, the teamwork they build, and the realization that their belief in themselves is what powered every success along the way. These are the lifelong skills for success in an ever-changing future,” said Skye Donzelli, Head STEM Mentor.
Jaime Peterson, the Howell PAL Director of Operations, stressed how important it is to offer programs like this to appeal to students who have a wide range of interests.
“We’re thrilled to offer this STEM program as another way for kids to explore their interests and build confidence. Not every child connects through sports, and this program ensures they still have an exciting, hands-on opportunity to learn, create, and be part of a team,” Peterson said.
Through the Mystical Creatures Program and now Pet Bots/ Battle Bots, Howell PAL’s STEM Playground is doing more than teaching robotics. It’s creating a space where students feel supported, mentored, and inspired. In this program, students learn that persistence matters, failure is part of learning, and resilience, teamwork, and creativity can be the most powerful tools in their toolbox.
Parents who are interested in enrolling their kids in these programs are encouraged to check out the Howel PAL’s website: howellpal.org
