Story Originally Published in La Jolla Light
By Noah Lyons | Th San Diego Union Tribune
Students across La Jolla schools have the opportunity to participate in robotics competitions, but just two among the San Diego Unified School District’s five local public campuses have dedicated programs for it. But that is changing.
Muirlands Middle School is reviving its robotics club, filling a “missing link” after years of dormancy. Campus leaders are eyeing a return to team competitions as soon as next school year.
Muirlands will join La Jolla Elementary and La Jolla High as schools with dedicated robotics programs.
Years ago, students could make a seamless transition from elementary to middle and high school teams. But when a group of robotics students and their parents left Muirlands Middle School around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, so did the club.
Having a middle school robotics club fills a gap in the continuum of learning. It becomes even more important at the university level, where students are tasked with applying engineering theory, he said.
Simon said the school aims to integrate robotics in its Gateway to Tech elective in the next year.
In addition to filling the gap in the robotics continuum, program leaders hope to boost the number of girls in robotics. So far, five of the 19 registered club members are girls.
Read the full article from La Jolla Light: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/01/16/la-jollas-muirlands-middle-school-once-a-missing-link-revives-robotics-club/