Highland Park Teacher Honored For Work In STEM Education

Highland Park IL

26 January, 2022

11:01 AM

Description

Jonathan Weiland, retired Highland Park High School STEM teacher and current director of Illinois FIRST robotics, has been honored with the prestigious Christa McCaullif silver dollar. FIRST Tech Challenge team 18529 - Rust in Piece, a Highland Park community team, unanimously decided to give this honor to Mr. Weiland for his dedication to educating students in the area of STEM. The commemorative coin is part of FIRST founder Dean Kamen's goal to celebrate Christa McAuliffe and spread awareness of Christa's impact on young people, educators, and STEM professionals. Rust in Piece felt this was the perfect opportunity to recognize Mr. Weiland and all he has done for students affiliated with FIRST Robotics. Mr. Weiland established the FIRST Robotics program in Highland Park nearly 20 years ago and has grown the program to become a world championship level club. According to Weiland, Robotics is the Varsity Sport of the Mind and most everyone who participates turns pro! Post-retirement, Mr. Weiland has led the Illinois FIRST Robotics division. He continues to encourage students across the state to embrace the FIRST mission of inspiring young people to be science and technology leaders by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that foster well-rounded life skills, including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. For Rust In Piece specifically, Mr. Weiland helped the Highland Park team overcome obstacles posed by the pandemic during the past season. These obstacles threatened the team's ability to compete in the 2020-2021 robotics season. The team decided the best way to persevere would be to become a community team. Mr. Weiland encouraged the team to push themselves and break through barriers to achieve engineering innovation beyond what seemed possible. Through fundraising, dedication, and teamwork, Rust in Peace progressed to the state level of competition in their first year as a community team. Throughout this, Mr. Weiland was a thought partner for the team and parent leaders. Dean Kamen, the founder of FIRST Robotics, is a prolific inventor, entrepreneur, and tireless advocate for science and technology. His passion and determination to help young people discover the excitement and rewards of science and technology are the cornerstones of FIRST. For over 30 years, Kamen has resolutely led the growth of FIRST to where it is now universally recognized as the leading, not-for-profit STEM engagement program for kids worldwide. FTC Team Rust In Piece has lofty goals for the 2021-2022 Robotics season. They hope to progress to World level competition. Additionally, they are determined to win one of the many prestigious awards within the next couple of years. If anything FIRST has taught them, it is to dream big and find a way! As Mr. Weiland said when accepting this recognition, "I could not agree more with Christa McAuliffe's saying, "I touch the future, I teach" which I did for 33 years, but I might add to it with a Dean Kamen quote "I touch the future, I teach, and I use robots to build kids." Rust In Piece Team Members: From Right to Left, Josh Jacobson, Leah Jacobson, Adin Cohen, Mr. Jonathan Weiland, Ari Posner, Jacob Hoyt, Spencer Nguyen, Ross Goldbaum, and Humza Ansari.This release was provided by Rust In Piece. The views expressed here are the author's own.