GRANDVILLE, Mich. — Students at Calvin Christian High School are heading to a global stage after qualifying for the Robotics World Championships in Houston but educators say the impact of the program goes far beyond competition.
The school’s robotics team, a small but growing program, has earned a spot among top teams from around the world. The event draws thousands of students and showcases advanced engineering, teamwork and problem-solving.
At Calvin Christian, those lessons are already translating into real-world opportunities.
“My seniors could walk into an engineering company, a manufacturing company, and contribute right now, even before getting all their schooling in college,” said Director of Robotics Jason Lawrence. “A program like this really gives them hands-on experience.”
Students design, build and test robots in high-pressure environments that mirror real workplace challenges — requiring them to think critically, adapt quickly and collaborate as a team.
For Sam van Stempvoort, the program has helped shape his future career path.
“During robotics especially, I learned a lot of machining and stuff,” he said. “It’s really nice to see how everything gets put together, because I’m planning on going to mechanical engineering.”
That hands-on experience is already paying off for some students.
Senior Nate Bokema is using the skills he learned in robotics at a local job, working at Ivanrest Hardware, where he repairs tools.
“Not only is the job kind of fun because I get to do hands-on stuff, but I also get to kind of dip my feet in the water a little bit of what the whole tool industry is,” Bokema said. “And I’ve even become inspired to maybe design tools in the future.”
Lawrence says programs like robotics are helping students explore multiple paths after graduation — whether that’s college, skilled trades or technical careers.
“We have been growing our relationships with different journeymen and mentorship programs in the area,” he said. “Some students are going straight to college and getting engineering degrees. Some students are interested in IT work.”
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