Cedar Falls High School robotics coach wins the region’s STEM Teacher Award – kwwl.com

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (KWWL) - The Cedar Falls High School robotics team has created and competed their robots for more than two decades.

Although the 'Swartdogs' have gained success throughout the years, it's not the students who were recently recognized. It was their teacher, Kenton Swartley.

"For me, it's kind of a recognition of the many years I've been involved in different aspects of STEM," Swartley said.

Starting the high school's first robotics team in 1999 and now leading the district's engineering and robotics strand, Swartley has received Iowa's STEM Teacher Award for this region!

"It's a wonderful honor to be recognized by the governor STEM advisory board," Swartley said.

Always being drawn to science, Swartley teaches his robotics team how to code, model, and program each robot's function.

Mainly teaching high school aged students, Swartley said he loves being able to equip kids for the future.

"In my mind, it's the direction our world is going with technology, these are skills they're going to need to have," Swartley said.

Swartley's award also includes a $3,000 cash prize that can be used for classroom and personal use.

Typically preparing for big competitions this time of year. The pandemic has forced them to be virtual.

Now, the Swartdogs have been submitting videos of their robots performing challenges, and will know the results in early May.

Some of the challenges the robots perform are ball shooting and barrel racing.

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Cedar Falls High School robotics coach wins the region's STEM Teacher Award - kwwl.com