Lending a Hand

Pali High Students Volunteer for Malibu Robotics Workshop

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

In remembrance of the 20th anniversary of September 11, X-Bots Robotics, an award-winning, community-based high school robotics team, launched a pilot expansion of its X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program at six California sites.

“September 11th is Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance,” according to event organizers, “a day in which individuals are asked to find a volunteer opportunity and address a critical need in the community.”

Among the talented teens participating at the Malibu Boys & Girls Club were Palisades Charter High School juniors and friends Olivia Dickman, Holly Sheibani and Josephine DiGennaro.

The X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program is a STEM program that partners students on a robotics team with a Boys & Girls Club, and together they build specially designed physical therapy cars for toddlers with cerebral disorders that affect body mobility.

The workshops enabled students to apply practical solutions, peer-to-peer learning, skills sharing and immersive lessons in engineering, all while bringing joy to children and their parents. The workshops reached an estimated 290 students and modified some 60 cars.

At the Malibu Boys & Girls Club, for instance, the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program has focused on applying GoBabyGo!, an open-source movement focused on real-time, real-world solutions for mobility, to provide STEM educational and leadership opportunities for middle and high school students. The program is a unique combination of peer-to-peer learning paired with a half-day hands-on workshop that draws in the families and toddlers who benefit from the finished product.

For the Pali High trio, the experience was not only fun and educational, but also rewarding.

“I actually haven’t had much experience [with robotics] in the past, but I love science in general and I’ve been part of the Boys & Girls Club in Malibu for about a year through the pandemic online, and I have a passion for learning and helping others,” Dickman said. “I learned a lot about robotics from building the actual cars. We had a training day where we learned how to build a car from scratch.”

Dickman explained in detail what the process entailed.

“We opened the box, put the parts together, retrofitted them and we had to add a kill switch to shut off power where instead of pushing the pedals you push a button on the wheel to make the car accelerate,” Dickman said. “It was super interesting. On the second, we built another car, we did the same process, put the wheels on the car, tested its acceleration and battery pack, and built backboards with piping so the kids would have support of their arms, neck and head. They climbed in and got to drive the cars around. The smiles on their faces were huge and the parents were so joyful.”

Asked if she would like to do it again, she answered without hesitation: “1,000%.”

Sheibani, a lifelong Palisadian who grew up in the Marquez area, belongs to several clubs at Pali High.

“This is my first time also—I joined through Olivia—and I love the teachers and staff and the other students who do it,” Sheibani said. “Olivia, Josephine and I are all friends. We have a couple of the same classes and we’ve been best friends since our freshman year. Seeing the kids’ faces light up and seeing the joy it brought to their families made it all worth it.”

She also appreciated the knowledge she gained in the process.

“In the span of two days I learned so much more about electronics and wiring than I ever have,” said Sheibani, whose dad has an engineering degree. “At the end of the day it was helping others. I picked it up pretty fast. Building cars at first can seem intimidating but we had training the first day, we watched a video about GoBabyGo! There was a manual—we had to figure out where to cut wires and what tools to use—but in the end it was easier than I thought it would be.”

DiGennaro said she believes the volunteer opportunity only strengthened her bond with her friends.

“It definitely made the experience better because we could go home and talk about it,” said DiGennaro, who excels in math and science. “I love learning about GoBabyGo! because it’s all engineering and it feels good to know I built something, and learning how it was going to be impacting the kids we gave the cars to was an extra boost—it impacted them so hugely.”

Although it was rewarding, the workshop was not without its challenges.

“My specific car had a lot of technical issues with it,” DiGennaro said. “There was previously wiring done incorrectly, so I tried to retrace the steps and put new wires back together. There was a 30-minute Zoom where founders of GoBabyGo! explained what it was all about. We left the first day around 1:40 and I got there at 9 a.m. the second day and spent about four and half hours.

“It was a great opportunity and I’d definitely do it again. The training day, the people, the whole program is wonderful and the whole goal is to make these children happy.”

To learn more about the X-Bots Robotics Mobility Program, visit xbotsrobotics.com/gobabygo.