As much as possible, PeakLogix likes to give back to the community through education. For the youngest learners, we help empower them by supporting local elementary schools with funding requests through Donors Choose. And for those in college considering their future prospects, we raise awareness of robotics and technology in the world of material handling.
Earlier this year, PeakLogix was able to influence both ends of the education spectrum. While at this spring’s key industry event, ProMat, Bob Giberson, principal at PeakLogix and 40-year industry expert, was recruited to introduce the MHEDA Classroom Day. While there, he took questions from students and professors in supply chain, logistics, industrial engineering, and manufacturing.
For many in the audience, it was a unique opportunity to get real-world answers about, and insights into, the supply chain, material handling, and logistics industries. They were able to learn how their various majors – including finance, engineering, and business – are aligned with, and needed within, the industry. At the same time, they saw how the industry can provide lucrative prospects for their professional futures.
Closer to PeakLogix’s corporate office in Richmond, several local schools and teachers benefitted from our contributions through Donors Choose. PeakLogix sponsored a number of teachers, helping them and their students complete projects by bringing technology and robotics into their classrooms.
Following are some of the letters of appreciation from those teachers. In response, PeakLogix would like to thank them for the opportunity to be a part of their projects. It brings everyone on the staff at PeakLogix joy to think about these students enjoying their education, and completing their learning, with the items picked out by their teachers. And we want to remind the students to thank their teachers! They are dedicated and work hard to help all their students succeed every day.
Help me give my students the chance to tell their own story using a 4K video camera. (3rd grade class)
Dear PeakLogix,
Thank you so much for donating to this project! My students are loving the video camera. At this point we have used it to film a reader’s theater project and students have been given a chance to work with the camera. As we progress. students will be taught to film each other teaching math lessons. We also plan on the students working on writing their own scripts for reader’s theater and performing and filming their own films. Technology is so important. I can’t thank you enough for your donation!!!
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ryan
Help me give my students 5 Sphero Sprk+ to bring the world of coding and robotics closer to all students! (Grades 3 – 5)
Dear PeakLogix,
Not a week has gone by since we received the Spheros that we haven’t used them in the library! Now that we have 6, small groups of 3-4 students can work together to code program to make the Spheros run. My fifth graders just left the library to go back to class and one remarked, “The library is awesome!” as he was walking out the door. We just spent 45 minutes together using Keva planks to create mazes and obstacle courses to code the Spheros to navigate. Every student was engaged, communicating, problem solving, and thinking creatively.
Similarly, a third-grade class is now planning our third consecutive lesson with the Spheros. In our first lesson, students got used to writing code and how to program the robots. In our second lesson, we challenged ourselves to complete tasks, such as making it turn around the carpet. For our next lesson, students asked if we could test the theory that they work in water. Together, we came up with the idea to design boats to attach to the Spheros and then put them in a kiddy pool and watch them go!
The biggest question we get in the library is, “Woah! What’s that?” After I explain, the next question is always, “Do WE get to do that?” Students young and old alike are drawn to the idea of a robot, especially one that they themselves can control! The Spheros have been a huge hit and we’re already thinking ahead to next year and all the amazing things we can do with them! A huge thanks to you and your generosity for bringing this fun opportunity into our school.
With gratitude,
Mrs. Lingerfelt
