Reno Reporter

A University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) backed Wolf Pack Bots team recently took home first place for the Innovation Award at the Northern Nevada FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Qualifier.

According to a Dec. 22 news release issued by the school, the team is composed of multilingual students in grades four through eight and will now go to Carson City to participate in the Northern Nevada FLL Championship on Feb. 4.

The team is coached by Rachel Salas, director of the Center of Learning and Literacy.

“My goal is to provide kids with the tools to be confident and who believe in themselves and have that worldview of ‘The sky’s the limit: I can do this.’, whether a girl or a boy, whether they have a disability, a speech impediment or have been labeled as an English learner at school. That’s empowerment, the way I see it,” Salas said in the release.

Moreover, Salas hopes that this initiative will have a positive effect on the young people who participate in it, many of whom were attracted by the Center's literacy tutoring program. The majority of the team members originate from various Washoe County Title 1 schools and come from populations with linguistic and ethnic challenges.

Helping Salas lead the team is graduate student mentor Monika Bharti and undergraduate student mentors Nanami Duncan, Vivana Reyes and Lanielle Pavlik.

Looking forward, Salas said she expects that students who participate in the team will have a positive impact on their educational careers.

Salas created the first robotics team in 2017 and began helping foster children build up their confidence. In 2021, she won the coach/mentor award at the FLL Nevada State Championship.

The program has a favorable and extensive influence. Students have improved their reading, writing, speaking, listening and research skills as a result of taking part in the FLL program. The program's continual usage of reading and STEM abilities shows how closely these two fields are related. Parents and team members frequently agree the team members' participation in the Wolf Pack Bots program has helped them improve their communication skills and confidence in their STEM identities.