Mr. Karns
Tom Karns has taught at Kilbourne for the past 20 years and has been a critical part of developing our STEM program and starting our robotics team. Last year, Mr. Karns was given the honor of being inducted into the Kilbourne Hall of Fame because of the many years he's spent dedicated to Kilbourne and the great contributions he has made to our programs. This week's article highlights Mr. Karns and the legacy he's leaving behind at Kilbourne as he retires this Spring.
Kilbourne is extremely fortunate to have such an incredible STEM program and Mr. Karns has played a critical role in developing it over the past years. Mr. Karns started the robotics team 11 years ago because of the need for it he saw in the program. When asked about why he started Worbots, Mr. Karns said the school's STEM program immersed students into technology but they still "really didn't get an opportunity to do anything outside of the classroom to experience it".
Pictured at Left: Students working on projects in Mr. Karns' classroom
Mr. Karn's saw an opportunity with FIRST to start the robotics team and he said after "getting a few sponsors together and about 10 kids who were Project Lead the Way kids they just took off with it".
Worbots has been a great success and Mr. Karns believes the program benefits students because "it puts them in a competitive environment as well as an educational environment for STEM and STEM technology."
Pictured Right: Worbots in a Robotics competition
Mr. Karns emphasizes the importance of students getting involved with STEM because "it's a great opportunity for them to expand their knowledge and use their knowledge. There's a lot about writing and we do a lot of writing and reading etcetera, but they can actually put their hands on what they are trying to create, they can bring in other technologies and use them and figure out the math and figure out how it works for them and helps them create."
Pictured Left: Students working in the engineering workshop
Since Mr. Karns will be retiring after 20 years of teaching here, he will certainly be leaving behind a great impact on Kilbourne. When asked about creating his legacy he responded with, "I wanted to provide an opportunity for kids to expand that STEM knowledge" and he hopes "for The Worbots (Team 4145) to be here long after I leave."
Over his time spent here at Kilbourne, Mr. Karns has gotten to see the Project Lead the Way program take off and he hopes it continues to grow. Mr. Karns emphasizes that "it's a great opportunity for all students not just engineering students."
Pictured Right: Mr. Karns and student Owen Marano overlooking robots during a competition
After 39 years of teaching Mr. Karns will be retiring at the end of this year. He is looking forward to being able to spend more time with his family, especially with a new granddaughter on the way. While he will certainly be enjoying his free time, Mr. Karns reassures everyone that he will continue to serve as the robotics coach here in Worthington and he will continue to play an integral part in our school and community.
Photo Credits: Owen Marano