Venice Volleyball Team Learns Robotics Through Play

Taylor Shipps gripped her racket and narrowed her eyes at her opponent: a robotic arm serving badminton shuttlecocks at unpredictable angles.

More than 50 middle school girls from Jelly Venice Volleyball gathered Wednesday evening for something completely different from practice. Roots Education Co., a Venice-based robotics training company, hosted a hands-on competition that turned circuit boards and coding into team challenges.

The girls, ages 9 to 13, rotated through four stations featuring robotic dogs navigating cone courses, robotic arms playing Plinko, and a career scavenger hunt exploring STEM pathways. The top two performers won 3D printers to take home.

Heather Noon, a retired STEM teacher and Roots solutions architect, designed the event to meet young athletes where they already thrive: teamwork and competition. "There's so much you can relate to the girls about how a team works," Noon said. "The younger they begin, it's crucial these kids open their mind to there's more than one career path."

Christa Dragani, 10, finished the robo dog cone course in 1 minute and 17 seconds, her eyes locked on the screen as she guided the mechanical pet. She'd never seen one in person before but was already planning her pitch to mom for a real one at home.

Twelve-year-old Susanna Prescott bounced between all four stations before settling on her favorite career from the Plinko game. The volleyball captain dreams of a STEM career someday, but right now she's focused on building resilience on the court: "Always try your best and never give up."

The Ripple Effect

Roots Education Co. started nine years ago with a mission to make robotics education affordable for schools. The company has now built 11 robotics systems across Sarasota, Collier and Charlotte counties, with another headed to Charlotte County Public Schools.

Their approach customizes STEM solutions to meet grade-level skill requirements while keeping technology accessible. Programs cover automation, semiconductor fabrication, semi-assisted robotic medicine, and logistics and supply chain platforms.

The company has expanded nationally to Arizona, Texas, and the tech hub of Silicon Valley itself. Noon came out of retirement specifically to help bridge what she calls the talent gap: giving students practical skills for jobs that desperately need them.

Taylor Shipps, 12, had visited the Roots facility before thanks to her older brother's summer internship there. After her match against the badminton robot, she had a definitive opinion on the competition: "I think playing a robot is easier than people, because they can't joke you out."

The blend of athletics and academics created natural entry points for girls who might never have considered technical careers. Tristan Jonsef, a Roots operator, guided each student through the Plinko station, explaining what their chosen career would look like, what jobs they could pursue, and what their actual workday might involve.

For one evening in Venice, STEM education didn't require lectures or textbooks. It just needed a PlayStation remote, a robotic arm, and a group of competitive athletes ready to try something new.