Robotics help make algebra work

Based on the results from last year’s pilot program, more than 85% of students who took part in the institute passed algebra in ninth grade with a grade of C or better, the organizers said.

According to former L.A. Unified Supt. Roy Romer, failure in algebra “triggers dropouts more than any single subject.”

To address this, the nonprofit organization Project GRAD Los Angeles, in collaboration with universities and businesses, hosted a Middle School Summer Institute throughout July. The students were selected primarily because they were at risk of not enrolling in algebra next month.

During the month, students spent mornings learning about algebraic concepts and the afternoon learning how to apply them to manipulate Lego robots. All of the students also took a writing course, were exposed to college and careers in math and science, and visited the UCLA School of Engineering.

In Thursday's competition, student teams competed in a race through a skills course in which they had to program the robots to turn at certain angles. Students won prizes for speed, accuracy and creativity.

The mission of Project GRAD Los Angeles is to help students in historically underserved communities get access to high-quality public education and college.