MARLBOROUGH, Massachusetts—More than 1,100 students come from an assortment of small, working-class towns and more affluent suburbs to study 19 different careers at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School. Under such circumstances, other schools might struggle to build a sense of community. Thanks to an annual robotics project that engages students from across disciplines, however, Assabet hums on teamwork.

On a much-anticipated date each January, drafting teacher Michael Faticanti receives the "game plan" for an annual competition called Project FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology), intended to inspire students to consider careers in engineering, technology, and science. Then, students have just six weeks to design, manufacture, assemble, and learn to operate a robot capable of performing complex, specific tasks.

"There is a terrific sense of teamwork and collaboration throughout the school," Faticanti says, "as students work with one goal in mind: produce a winning robot for the regional and national competitions."

Faticanti, who spent a dozen years teaching adults before shifting to the high school setting five years ago, says Project FIRST "is a catalyst for the school. And technology is a critical partner."

A team of about 40 students works on the initial design phase, using a computer-assisted design (CAD) system to capture the ideas that come up in brainstorming. Then, Faticanti divvies up assignments to other students who turn the initial design concepts into reality. Drafting students hand off their design to the electronics department, which builds the circuitry. Computer programming students write the program that controls the robot. Graphics students use software to design the robot's logo and T-shirts worn by team members. Auto body students paint the logo onto the frame of the robot.

"Students truly use technology as a tool," Faticanti says, "applying it to create and operate a functional machine." Mentors from the real world of industry (including Intel Corporation in Massachusetts) supply coaching and financial support to help students travel to the national Project FIRST competition in Orlando, Florida.

At the national event, all the teamwork Assabet students have invested to create their robot comes into play again. Faticanti explains: "Part of the national competition is to demonstrate teamwork 'on the field.' Four teams' robots are required to perform certain functions, and they are expected to help each other accomplish the objectives, like helping guide the placement of a ball into a goal. The students have very little time to confer before they perform before the judges—and literally thousands of screaming parents and fans."

Communication gets fine-tuned, too, along with technology skills. In the heat of battle last year, the teacher was about to make a suggestion to the student wielding the robot's controls. Before the teacher could even open his mouth, the student said, "Don't worry, Mr. F, we're going to do that right now."

See the Project FIRST* Web site.