By: Matt Weingarden, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Tilbury Times Reporter
Robotics students in Dave Kostanjevec’s Grade 7/8 class at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Elementary School in Woodslee have excelled at the FIRST LEGO League Challenge Windsor Qualifier at St. Clair College earlier this month. Their innovative solution to a local problem earned them top honors and a spot at the provincial championship.
This year’s competition theme centred on archaeology, challenging students to not only compete in a tabletop coding challenge but also identify and solve a real-world problem related to the field.
“The BackTrackers, the Grade 8 team, captured the ‘1st Place Champions Award’ as well as 1st place in the robot playoff game. Our Grade 7 team also shone brightly, earning the 3rd Place Champions Award. Next stop, the provincial championship for both teams in the new year,” reported educator Kostanjevec, post local competition.
The competition revolves around three steps to the program: the robot, innovation and core values
About the Challenge
The students discovered that several local public infrastructure projects had experienced significant delays after Indigenous artifacts were uncovered during preliminary construction work. These delays sometimes resulted in cost overruns and public frustration, revealing a gap in community understanding about the importance of archaeological preservation.
Rather than viewing this as merely an inconvenience, Mr. Kostanjevec’s students saw an opportunity to build bridges between modern development and cultural preservation.
A Museum on Wheels
The class’s solution has proven both practical and educational: a mobile utility trailer that serves as a classroom and museum on wheels. This portable exhibit can be transported directly to construction sites where Indigenous artifacts have been found, helping educate citizens about why preservation matters.
The trailer features authentic Indigenous artifacts discovered locally, providing visitors with tangible connections to the area’s history. But the students didn’t stop at traditional museum displays.
Technology Meets Education
In a striking example of how young people are embracing emerging technology, the students created an AI-powered avatar modelled after one of their classmates. Displayed on a screen inside the trailer, this digital guide uses artificial intelligence to answer visitors’ questions about local Indigenous history in real-time.
The integration of cutting-edge technology with historical education demonstrates these students’ understanding that engaging modern audiences requires meeting them where they are—with interactive, accessible tools.
Student Dedication Shines Through
The level of effort and intelligence invested in this project is remarkable. These Grade 7/8 students haven’t just completed an assignment; they’ve created a functional educational resource that could genuinely impact their community’s relationship with Indigenous heritage and archaeological preservation.
Kostanjevec says the program has proven very popular with students.
“It allows them to step outside of the regular rigours of what they do outside the curriculum, yet ties itself back… allowing them to experience skills they normally wouldn’t be exposed to.”
Payton Toplass, a Grade 8 participant, says she learned a number of valuable lessons while preparing for the competition.
“Working together as a team, with others, communication and thinking outside of the box,” she shared.
“I’ve always been into programming, and now adding in air compression systems, pneumatics and gear ratios is going to assist me as I move into a career in the field of engineering,” said student Alec Gabriel.
“I was genuinely impressed by the creativity and initiative these students have shown in taking inspiration from the Belle River and Puce River archaeological dig sites,” said Lakeshore mayor Tracey Bailey, after a recent visit to the school. “Those discoveries are an important part of our local story, and seeing the students use them as a springboard for innovation speaks volumes about their curiosity and their respect for our community’s history.”
For St. John the Evangelist students, the experience carries more than just a coding project—it brings a vision for how communities can honour the past while building the future.
