Students Electrify Hawkins Room

Richiard Hawkins the West High engineering teacher has had a few of his students build items to enhance the classroom experience. Hawkins proclaimed how “These things involve microprocessors, sensors, switches, relays, and LED’s.” His students have made a “Laser room in use.”

Hawkins explained that  “When someone walks into the Laser Room the PIR sensor senses them and turns the LED sign on for 5 minutes. If the person stays in the room for more than 5 minutes the light continually resets so the light will be on for 5 minutes after the last person comes out of the Laser Room.” Hawkins also kindly [WORD] how it was made and works “The Laser Room Light is a light designed and built by students in my classroom. They used a microprocessor (Arduino Nano), a Passive Infra Red (PIR) sensor, a relay, some LED strips and some 3D printed parts.  The students designed and built the circuit as well as the 3D printed parts that house the electronics and the LEDs.”

They have also built a “Hall pass transfer device" that is designed so that “I can put the hall pass onto the dowel, in the other position it is close to the student who is standing by the door.”  Hawkins also gave an in depth explanation how it was built and works “The hall pass transfer device consists of a microprocessor (Arduino Nano), a pushbutton and an RC Servo.  When the button is pushed the servo moves approximately 150 degrees, the arm of the servo is connected to a dowel rod with an opening in one end that can hold a paper hall pass.” 

He also gave the functions and why it was built “The transfer device has two functions: One it holds the pass until the student has time to sign out of the classroom and get it; Two  It makes it easier for me to hand out hall passes because I do not have to stretch to get the pass to the student.

These devices have vastly improved the classroom experience for both Hawkins and his students.