Header
APS Employees Use Robots to Inspire Students
The goal for every first-generation college student is not simply to get there, but to graduate – often easier said than done without caring mentorship and the genuine investment of a broader community.
That’s where AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute comes in. AGUILA is a Valley-based non-profit and college access program that has been working with Arizona students for more than 20 years preparing them for college, graduation and life while building values like gratitude, aspiration and empathy.
It's the kind of organization that APS employees choose to embrace. Recently, AGUILA brought more than 55 high school junior and senior students to Northern Arizona University’s (NAU) Flagstaff campus for its annual Summer Leadership Symposium, a program APS has supported for the past two decades. Students from across the state participated in three days of personal and professional development.
“AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute is focused on building confidence in our students and partners like Arizona Public Service and its employees at Palo Verde Generating Station are instrumental to our work,” said Rosemary Hernandez, AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute CEO. “Now more than ever, students need a place to belong and grow and they need others to help nurture their learning. It takes community leaders to make this happen.”
And this is what happened during the symposium’s ‘Dream Big Robot Challenge,’ where a group of 12 APS drone and robot operators and Palo Verde engineers worked with students on a ‘humanoid robot’ STEM activity.
With the help of energy experts, the students divided into teams and worked together to successfully navigate their teammates through a path, much like a robot, and avoid unanticipated obstacles. Later, the students learned how real robots are used by engineers and operators. Year-round, APS utilizes this same technology to inspect power lines and equipment to identify maintenance needs or find issues before they cause a problem.
Jaryd Burt, Senior Predictive Maintenance Technician for APS, participated and helped students think outside of the box and work as a team.
“We want these students to understand that some really cool career opportunities await them if they prepare properly – and we want them to know what an energy company like APS has to offer,” said Burt. “These young people are curious and bright and want to learn and we were there to support that. It is a good feeling to be able to contribute to their success, even in small ways.”
For many of the high schoolers, this was their first time on a college campus and being exposed to these careers, according to AGUILA board member Yessica del Rincon, who was a product of the program and is an APS employee.
“Many are first generation college students and I was one of them,” said del Rincon. “AGUILA gives you the confidence and the tools to be bold about your future and it’s meaningful to see my teammates give back to this community. It’s a full circle story for me and I’m grateful to be able to come back as an APS employee and support Arizona’s future leaders.”
Related stories
Stay up to date with our social channels
