Rally in the Valley

Rally in the Valley 2018

Untitled presentation

History of Rally in the Valley

The history of the Rally in the Valley can be traced to Dr. Jawa at California Poly Pomona. Thirteen years ago Dr. Mariappan “Jawa” Jawaharlal started an after school robotics enrichment program with one school and 20 students. The program became Robotics Education through Active Learning (R.E.A.L). The program grew over many years to the size it is now of over 800 students and 15 plus schools.

In 2009, David Garringer read an article about the R.E.A.L. program in the Los Angeles Times newspaper. He was determined to find out more information about the program and how he could start such a program at a school in the San Fernando Valley. After significant research, he contacted Dr. Jawa, visited the campus, and initiated a robotics program at his school during the 2009 – 2010 school-year.

David Garringer relocated to a different school, Stanley Mosk Elementary, for the 2010 – 2011 school year. Stanley Mosk initiated a Lego Mindstorm robotics program at during the 2011 – 2012 school year emulating, the REAL model with support from Dr. Jawa and Cal Poly Pomona. Mr. Oscar Rios and Mr. Dennis Colato, graduates of the CSUN STEM MA Program, agreed to start teaching the robotics program at Stanley Mosk with 10 teams during the first year. Under their guidance, Stanley Mosk competed at the REAL celebration robotics event for two years and had significant success including winning the SUMO event one year out of over 100 team competing.

During the 2013 – 2014 school-year, Stanley Mosk committed to conduct its own robotics celebration and named it “Rally in the Valley.” The event was well received with visitors from several various schools and California State University – Northridge (CSUN).

Representatives from CSUN, Dr. Susan Belgrad, Dr. Ray Brie and Steve Holle met with Dr. Jawa about starting a REAL model robotics event in the San Fernando Valley.

After consultation with CSUN it was agreed that they host the first official “Rally in the Valley” on its campus with three schools participating. The event was again very well received by dignitaries and visitors.

For the 2016 Rally in the Valley, the event outgrew its initial room and had to relocate to a larger venue on the CSUN campus. We are extremely excited and proud to bring 21st Century skills and STEAM to elementary students in the San Fernando Valley through robotics. And most importantly the Rally in the Valley allows students to “celebrate” their learning through engagement in various events and gracious competition.

We are extremely excited and proud to bring the 21st century skills and STEAM engagement to elementary girls and boys--and their families in the San Fernando Valley through LEGO ED Mindstorm robotics. And most importantly the Rally in the Valley allows students to “celebrate” their learning through engagement in various events and "gracious cooper-tition" in games featuring "follow the line," obstacle course, "SUMO!" and new this year--NASA Space Challenge and Green Cities competitions.