MCALLEN, RGV - McAllen ISD Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez says seeing Rio Grande Valley students building sophisticated robots gives his “peace of mind and peace in my heart.”
McAllen High School hosted the 2019-20 season opener for FIRST RGV’s various robotics competitions on Saturday. More than 1,600 students, parents and supporters were packed into the school’s gymnasium.
“This is the wave of the future. If you look at UTRGV and you look at everything that is going on with robotics in our region, we are very proud of every district. We are excited to have students here from Brownsville all the way to Laredo,” Gonzalez said.
The Rio Grande Guardian has interviewed Gonzalez many times about the value of students learning to build robots. He said the key thing to remember is that FIRST’s competitions are not just about building robots.
“It is more than about building robots, it is about collaboration, it is about critical thinking and problem solving. It is essentially the scientific method in action,” Gonzalez said.
“It is about being something bigger than yourself. When you see these kids working together it brings me peace of mind and peace in my heart because I know that in the future, whatever they choose to do, the skills they are learning, robotics is going to help them.”
For school districts with 20,000 or more students, McAllen ISD is one of three to earn the “A” for state accountability, the Post-Secondary Readiness Distinction, and the School FIRST for financial integrity.
“When you look at McAllen ISD, it is more than just academics, it is fine arts and athletics and now robotics,” Gonzalez said.
“We want to give the students a well-rounded education because once they get out into the real world there are going to have to use these skills. On top of that we really push the socially emotional learning and that is also important.”
Among the VIPs to attend FIRST RGV season opener was McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. He told the Rio Grande Guardian that the energy in the gym was sensational. And he told the audience that it was “fantastic” to see a large number of girls in the robotics teams.
“I have just got back from China where I visited some advanced manufacturing plants. There is a lot of robotics in advanced manufacturing and that is what you students are getting into,” Darling said. “I am excited to be here. I am excited for the new school year Hopefully, you will invited me back.”
Julian Alvarez, the labor representative on the Texas Workforce Commission, was another VIP at the season opener. Alvarez told the Rio Grande Guardian that TWC would be presenting a $975,000 check to FIRST In Texas later this week.
“I am glad I had an opportunity to be here because I want to show them the value these types of grants have on young adults at an early age. Our goal is to continue funding these types of programs. These are competitive grants,” Alvarez said.
In his exclusive interview with the Rio Grande Guardian, Alvarez linked the FIRST RGV robotics programs with the recent academic successes of school districts in Region One Education Service Center.
“We just got our ratings, it is all A’s and B’s in the Valley, across all 33 school districts. I recently met with Region One, Dr. Alvarado and Melissa Gonzalez, and there is just a lot of energy right now,” Alvarez said. “This robotics competition puts the icing on the cake, reinforcing just how smart some of these kids are.”
Alvarez said that as a Valley native nothing gives him more pleasure as a commissioner than traveling to tier one universities and meeting students from the Valley, many the first in their family to go to college.
“I was at SMU and bumped into a kid from Brownsville. I am at Rice University and some of the other fine universities, I always run into kids from the Valley. Programs like this are obviously helping, it is great stepping stone and money well spent.”
In his remarks to the audience, Alvarez noted that most jobs today require an IT skill.
“We are training kids in these programs for careers that don’t even exist. That is what I love about the Valley, we are training kids for careers not jobs.”
Alvarez added that he was thrilled to see that everybody in the Valley seems to be following Gov. Greg Abbott’s trig-agency project, 60x30TX.
“We want to make sure these individuals have options and stackable credentials. It is just great to see the educators in the Valley are listening to industry and industry is telling them what type of curriculums we should be putting in place in our schools.”
Another VIP to attend the FIRST RGV event was Judge Migdalia Lopez from Cameron County. Lopez said many decades ago she served two terms as a school board member for Harlingen CISD.
“Math, science, technology is the way to go and these students are our future. To see so many of them here, 1,600, it makes me feel so good and makes me feel that my future is secure and my grandchildren’s future is secure,” Lopez said.
“I remember a principal telling me, years ago, that 95 percent of our kids are good and that it was the five percent that kept him so occupied. The kids here today are part of the 95 percent. They are good kids that we need to guide, to keep them moving in the right direction.”
Another judge to attend the season opener was Nereida Lopez Singleterry from Hidalgo County.
“I love seeing our community have all these programs available for our youth. It is very important for them to get involved at this young age,” Lopez Singleterry told the Rio Grande Guardian.
Lopez Singleterry then ran through some of the skills students learn through participation in FIRST RGV robotics programs.
“Working in a team, respecting other individuals, having a shared goal, this program is going to help them achieve a post-secondary education. I am very Impressed with this program,” Lopez Singleterry said.
“In the Valley we are trying to push our students, through different organizations, to achieve their dream of attending college and coming back to help the community. I am very impressed with Mr. Arms and all the work he and his team are doing. Growing up I had similar programs that helped me achieve my goals.”
Jason Arms is president of FIRST RGV.
Another VIP to speak at the season opener was Trung Cao Nguyen, plant manager of Royal Technologies in Mission. “The most important thing is to have fun,” Nguyen told the students. “There is no need to stress out.”
