Whether it’s working with small, simple kits or large, complex parts, Seymour Community School Corp. students spent either a couple of days or a whole week immersed in robotics.
Fresh off a recently completed school year, elementary and middle school students had an opportunity to tinker in the world of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
For the elementary camp, students could register for one of two two-day sessions, both two and a half hours long. There were 18 kids in each session.
For the middle school camp, students spent five days at camp, two and a half hours each day. There were 18 in that camp.
The elementary camp had students spend one day working with a Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst Kit and building a robot that doodles, moves or spins. The other day, they worked with an Ozobot, a small programmable robot designed to teach coding through interactive play.
Stepping up to the middle school camp, students first received an introduction to gear ratios and then received an instruction book to build a robot. Once they completed that robot, they moved on to a different kit, each one introducing a new concept. From catapults to merry-go-rounds, they gained an understanding of making a robot move.
JCIDC provides funding to make these camps possible.
During the VEX Robotics World Championship in early May, the game for the next season is announced.
Robotics doesn’t have an offseason.
Since that announcement, teams from around the globe began looking at the manual for the 2025-26 games — Mix & Match for VEX IQ and Push Back for VEX V5 Robotics Competition — as they geared up for a new challenge.
Seymour High School’s robotics program is among that group.
The week of June 2 to 6, robotics team members are gathering for four hours in the afternoon each day for a camp.
For the season, SHS will have 24 team members on five teams. Plus, there will be four Seymour Middle School eighth graders competing up at the V5 level.
Twenty of the students are attending the camp.
“It’s always team bonding is No. 1,” SHS and SMS robotics coach Amy Jo Miller Kuzel said. “We have a lot of new teams. I put them together with who they want to be with, and sometimes, it’s all new teams, so team bonding is the big thing.”
It’s also time for the teams to think, strategize, plan and work on the engineering notebook.
“One hundred percent that notebook is key to where they want to go,” Miller Kuzel said. “They have to have it. They also have that embedded in them now.”
On the first day of the camp, the team members learned behavior and language expectations and professionalism and team collaboration and discussed team names, mascots and themes. They also discussed thoughts on the game challenge, goals for the season and robot ideas, and there were presentations on robot designing, engineering notebook and judging and expectations.
The second day will consist of working on rules, base robot analysis and innovation, while the third day will include lectures on CAD and programming.
The group will tour Guardian Bikes in Seymour on the fourth day, and the final day will consist of design.
Even before the camp, teams have talked via group chats, and parents and judges have worked on planning. Robotics is a year-round activity for all involved.
“It’s cool. This is how it’s supposed to be,” Miller Kuzel said. “It’s supposed to be as soon as May hits, you go. Otherwise, you can’t keep up with the competition if you don’t give them that time and if you don’t give them that freedom.”
Local companies recently received approval for investments.
During the April 14 Seymour Common Council meeting, Nippon Steel Pipe America Inc. announced a $646,000 investment for new equipment. Noriko Taguchi, the company’s financial manager, said the equipment will be a much better replacement of current equipment.
The investment is scheduled to begin after May 1 and be complete by February 2026. Although no new jobs are planned, the investment will allow the Eastside Industrial Park company to maintain its current workforce of 408 associates.
The council unanimously approved the tax abatement for qualified personal property.
A week before, the Brownstown Town Council approved a $250,000 personal property investment for E&H Tubing Inc., which is located in the Brownstown Industrial Park. No new jobs were created, but 73 employees were retained.
Another company in the county seat, Brownstown Quality Tool & Automation LLC, received approval from the Jackson County Council on April 16 for an investment of $635,000 for new machinery. That will help the company on the south side of Brownstown retain seven positions.
On April 28, the Seymour Common Council approved tax abatements for Cummins Seymour Engine Plant and AISIN USA Mfg. Inc.
Cummins, which is located along East Fourth Street, announced a $28.4 million investment, including $19,952,806 in personal property and $8,414,557 in real property.
AISIN’s new investment totaled $32.9 million, including $32,542,500 in personal property and $438,000 in real property. The company is located in the Eastside Industrial Park.
In both cases, no new jobs are projected, but there will be retention of nearly 1,800 workers and payroll of more than $123 million for AISIN and 921 workers with wages of $74.4 million for Cummins.
These two investments take the yearly total to $76.87 million in promised investment.
Crothersville High School’s seniors had an opportunity to participate in mock interviews with local business professionals the morning of April 22 at the school.
Nineteen of the 21 members of the Class of 2025 gained experience in interviewing. Career interests include nursing, mechanical engineering, logistics and supply chain management, computer science, electrical repair, psychology, wildlife and fisheries management, animation, photography, broadcasting, translator and tattoo artist. One also is interested in joining the U.S. Air Force, and another one wants to enter the workforce.
JCIDC would like to thank Lydia Benter with Schneck Medical Center, Rick Rotert with Cummins Seymour Engine Plant, Kristen Shaw with Centerstone, Angela van Winden with Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, Tina Hacker and Yesenia Otero with Pet Supplies Plus, Olivia Whan with Olivia Whan Tattoos, Marcus Young with the U.S. Air Force and Matt Followell with Sims Bark for taking time out of their schedules to interview these students.
We also want to thank Crothersville High School counselor Katie Whitehead for helping coordinate the effort.
Crothersville High School’s Class of 2026 recently had an opportunity to shadow a business professional who works in their area of interest.
From emergency medical services to agriculture to teaching, the juniors got a glimpse into a potential future career.
JCIDC worked with school counselor Katie Whitehead to compile a list of interests from the 25 students. Then we reached out to local people who worked in those careers to pair them up for an on-the-job experience.
Rowan Sharp spent time on shift with Teia Thomas, an emergency medical technician with Jackson County Emergency Medical Services.
“It’s truly inspiring when a high school student expresses interest in a job shadow with me in EMS, and tonight, I had the pleasure of hosting Rowan on a ridealong,” Thomas posted on Facebook the night of April 11.
Sharp’s passion for nursing and nurse practitioner work, sparked by a meaningful encounter with Tory Rudolph, is genuinely admirable, Thomas wrote.
“After experiencing the world of EMS firsthand, I firmly believe Rowan has discovered a career path that aligns with her aspirations,” Thomas posted. “It was an absolute pleasure having Rowan on the truck tonight. Her bright future is undoubtedly filled with tremendous possibilities, and I have no doubt she will excel as a future EMT. Thank you, Rowan, for sharing this experience with me at JCEMS.”
Junior Baron Riley spent the morning of April 11 with Jeff Davis, a senior account manager for Premier Companies.
Davis said they began with a tour of the corporate office building in Seymour and explained some of the changes in the cooperative system over the years.
“We discussed different aspects of the cooperative and what they involve and how they contribute,” Davis said. “We went through a few of the digital platforms we use to learn and service our customers.”
Then they took a drive over to Lawrence County to evaluate a customer’s cover crop termination.
“Baron had some good questions about what we were doing, and I feel like he was evaluating how these things could fit into the idea or model of what he wants to do after college,” Davis said. “I personally enjoy trying to make young people think and help them to appreciate what opportunities they have in their lives. This can be from an occupational, family, economic or even a spiritual perspective — where are they going and how are they planning on getting there, whether it’s college, that next job, next relationship or eternity.”
From a company perspective, Davis said Premier likes to share what it’s all about and how it’s able to help customers continue to do what they enjoy doing.
“Our company can always use motivated, honest, hardworking individuals that are passionate about what they are doing,” he said. “Job shadowing and internships give us this opportunity to reach some that may have not gotten a chance otherwise.”
Juniors Grace Smith, Zoe Bowman and Jaelynn Smith all are interested in education.
Grace and Zoe were matched with Emerson Elementary School teachers Jami Kiel and Kara Thompson, respectively, and Jaelynn shadowed Trinity Lutheran High School art teacher Carrie Adler.
“We loved having Miss Smith in class today. She was so sweet,” Kiel said while sharing a photo of Grace sitting at a table with three students playing a money card game.
“Jaelynn Smith was an absolute pleasure to have visiting today,” Adler said while sharing a photo of Jaelynn in front of art made by Trinity students. “She was incredibly polite and engaging. She asked great questions.”
Nearly 1,800 students from five Jackson County high schools attended JCIDC’s annual Career College Transition Fair on April 16 at Seymour High School.
Seymour sent all of its students, from grades 9 to 12, while Brownstown Central, Crothersville, Medora and Trinity Lutheran high schools sent 20 to 40 students each.
Set up in the commons and auxiliary gymnasium, there were more than 50 booths, including education, financial institutions, health care, community services, military, skilled trades, retail and manufacturing.
Each student received a passport and had to go around to at least 10 booths to interact with business professionals and get their passport stamped, and they turned them in for a chance to win prizes provided by JCIDC and several of the booths.
Thanks to all schools, students and staff for attending. We appreciate Seymour High School for allowing us to host the event there.
Thanks to Seymour High School’s 11/12 Jobs for America’s Graduates program for having nearly 60 juniors and seniors helping with the event today.
Thanks to all of the participants for taking time to be there to interact with students and offer great activities, giveaways and drawings.
Thanks to the SHS custodial staff for helping with setup and cleanup of the auxiliary gym and commons.
This event is possible thanks to everyone who is involved. We look forward to continuing this event next spring.
