Competitive Educational Robotics Club

In the Robotics Club, students learn to construct and program a robot, utilizing the equipment of our school’s Computer Lab. Educational robotics is an activity which, with the vision of technological innovation, helps students to discover talents and skills, to work collaboratively and to become familiar with technology, automation and robotics. The ultimate aim of the club is to prepare students to take part in the Panhellenic Robotics Competition (http://wrohellas.gr/) which takes place every year with the participation of schools from all around Greece. Winners in this competition by level (Elementary, Gymnasium, Lyceum, Open) represent our country at the Robotics Olympiad (http://www.wroboto.org/).

In the Club, students are divided into teams of 2 or 3 members. Each team is called upon to construct a robot using different materials and robotic / automatic control computer systems (LEGO Mindstorms EV3, arduino, raspberry pi, microbit, Makeblock). Then, they program their construction so that it completes required tasks – tests. The required equipment is provided by the College.

Club Advisors: Mr. F. Katsochristos
Days and time: Monday 15:30 – 17:00

Pierce – The American College of Greece is the first school in Europe to offer CogWorks (Autonomous Cognitive Assistance) program. CogWorks is an online course in English designed and offered by MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute.

CogWorks @ Pierce is the result of College’s partnership with the nonprofit Learning Initiative and a corresponding partnership between the above organization and MIT’s Beaver Works Summer Institute (BWSI). Students who successfully complete CogWorks will receive a certificate of completion from BWSI.

The program is a project-based course for developing machine learning applications that leverage audio, visual, and linguistic data. Students will learn basic mathematical programming and data analysis skills that will enable them to build their own algorithms and neural networks from scratch. Upon completion they will design their own cognitive assistants.

Eligible to participate in the program are students of A’, B’ Lyceum who have distinguished themselves in pan-Hellenic or international competitions in Informatics, Robotics (WRO, FLL, Racecar Challenge), Mathematics Competition (2nd or 3rd Phase) and Physics Competition (2nd or 3rd Phase). The positions (until the completion of 15 participants) will be filled by students selected based on the average score in the courses of Informatics, Mathematics, Physics and English.

Club Advisor: Mr. I. Vetsikas
Days and times: Friday 15:30 – 17:00

In its effort to promote research and innovation, Pierce – The American College of Greece always strives to secure internationally recognized educational programs that give its students the opportunity to develop their special abilities and to cultivate their creativity.

In this context, Pierce – The American College of Greece is the first school in Europe to implement the pilot secondary education program RACECAR, designed by Beaver Works Summer Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), with the support of the non-profit organization “Mathisi Initiative.”

This pilot program aims to reinforce students’ knowledge and abilities in the field of programming, robotics and technology, combining theory with practice.

Sixteen Gymnasium students will take part in the program, selected based on academic criteria. In order to work, they will focus on the following subjects:

• Programming (Python)
• Artificial Vision (OpenCV)
• Robotics (Robot Operation System – ROS) and Control Theory

Along with the theoretical approach of each subject, each team will assemble its own automobile and, with the help of appropriate software and the corresponding algorithms, will incorporate into it the necessary sensors and codes.

At the end of the school year, the teams will have the opportunity to take part in the Racecar Challenge, at which each team will compete with its own code and its own algorithms.

Club Advisor: Mr. F. Katsochristos
Day and time: Wednesday 15:30 – 17:00

This is a STEM program in which participating students will be divided into teams and take on the roles of designer, engineer and builder of a hybrid, solar, electric, single-seater, racing vehicle, with which they will take part in a race at the end of the school year.

The students will design, cost, find financing, build and undergo extensive testing of the vehicle in order to optimize it, until the final stage and the race they will have to organize. They will become familiar with the concepts of electric propulsion, solar panels, control of DC and AC electric motors, the chassis of a car, braking system, steering system, suspension and working with wood and metal.

They will take Maths and Physics knowledge and go even deeper to calculate peak torque, top speed, charging speed, power, efficiency, as well as required solar panels to optimize the vehicle. For the completion of a vehicle, the continuous presence of students for at least two academic years is required.

Academy Advisor: Stelios Katsoulis
Day and time: Saturday, 09:00 – 12:00

The mission of “The Pierce Innovation and Entrepreneurship Academy Powered by Viva.com” is to promote the entrepreneurial spirit and business culture among the students of Pierce – The American College of Greece. The Club provides for the establishment and operation of a student virtual business, according to the operating model of a corporation. In the Club, students prepare and submit their own business plan aimed at implementing all levels of operation of a modern business (product design, production, promotion, sales).

Students’ active participation in a virtual business contributes to the development of important social, administrative, entrepreneurial, organizational, communication and interpersonal skills. This participation is a basic element in every student’s CV and a valuable influence on their further academic and professional pursuits. Students have the opportunity to develop and cultivate their interests and talents, to relate theory to practice, to deal with the actual functions and problems of a modern business.

Lyceum students have the opportunity to participate in Greek, European and Global Entrepreneurship Competitions. More specifically:

Junior Achievement (C Gymnasium): Students acquire basic knowledge in entrepreneurship (marketing, management, leadership, human resources management, etc.). They create and operate a student virtual business, following the model of operation of a Limited Company. In the context of the Group, students prepare and submit their own business plan, in order to implement all levels of operation of a modern business (product design, production, promotion, sale). This is how they prepare for an effective participation in Greek and international competitions in the next academic year (A’ Lyceum).

The active and active participation in the virtual business contributes to the development of important social, administrative, business, organizational, communication and interpersonal skills. This participation is a valuable resource for students’ further academic and professional pursuits.

Junior Achievement (Lyceum, IB): This is an entrepreneurship competition for students, under the auspices of Junior Achievement Greece – Youth Entrepreneurship Association (SEN), with the approval of the Ministry of Education. The Academy envisages the establishment and operation of a student virtual business, according to the model of operation of a Limited Company. In the context of the Academy, students prepare and submit their own business plan in order to implement all levels of operation of a modern business (product design, production, promotion, sale). They promote the product by making promo videos, participate together with dozens of other student virtual businesses both in trade fairs and in Greek and pan-European finals.

Diamond Challenge (Lyceum, IB): This is an entrepreneurship competition for high school students from all over the world that is implemented under the auspices of the University of Delaware / Horn Entrepreneurship and provides a unique opportunity for students to delve into the entrepreneurial culture, putting their ideas into practice. Our school will host the Final of the Greek competition (Diamond Challenge Pitch Event) for public and private schools from all over the country. Students will form teams of 2-4 people and present their ideas in the field of Social Innovation. The qualifying teams from each country will take part in the Final (Diamond Challenge Summit), at the University of Delaware.

Junior Squeezy (Lyceum & IB): Junior Squeezy Student Entrepreneurship and Innovation program of Orange Grove and the Dutch Embassy, in collaboration with the Vasilis & Elizas Goulandris Foundation, aims to attract students who will formulate an innovative business idea and are interested in start-up entrepreneurship.

As part of the program, participants will have the opportunity to learn about and become familiar with innovative entrepreneurship, the creation of startups and the design of businesses with a positive impact on the economy, society and the environment (impact-driven entrepreneurship). At the same time, they will receive guidance from members of Orange Grove and the Dutch Embassy’s network of trainers and mentors, which includes successful entrepreneurs and senior business executives.

X-Culture Academy (Lyceum & IB): International competition X-Culture Academy (https://x-culture.org/academy/) is coordinated by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and aims to help participants develop the skills needed to succeed professionally in an internationalized and multicultural business environment.

Participants work in teams with school students from different countries on business problems of real companies. The solutions proposed by the students are presented (as a report) to the respective companies and judged by them.

The limit of Academy members for this year is 35 students. Should this be exceeded in enrollment, there will be academic criteria for selecting members.

Club Advisors: I. Minas, P. Sfyris, M. Theodosopoulos, Dr. A. Klidas
Day and Time: Wednesday 15:30-17:00

Pierce – The American College of Greece supports its students’ preparation for attendance in the IB DP program and, in this context, announces the continuation of the Diploma Program Foundation Year. It is a preparatory program that runs from the October 8, 2024 to April 10, 2025, twice a week (every Tuesday and Thursday), from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. and its goals are:

1. To cover part of the material that is prerequisite knowledge for ΙΒ, but which is not sufficiently covered in the Greek Curriculum up to A Lyceum.

2. To revise concepts that students have been taught, but not to the extent required for IB.

3. To gain experience in using scientific terminology in the English language and, at the same time, to improve students’ use of English as a language of communication.

4. To be familiar with and trained in research methodology, bibliography search, paper writing, personal statement, information about studies in Universities abroad etc.

5. To become familiar with all of the courses offered in the Pierce-IB DP program.

6. The development of necessary – for the profile of the student of the IB program – skills (critical-thinking, communication, self-management, research skills) through a course of Political Education / Sociology, which will combine all the courses of Group 3 (Individuals and Societies ): Psychology, Economics, Business Management, History.

The subjects taught are all of those offered by the Pierce-IB DP: Mathematics, Modern Greek, Business Management, History, Economics, Theatre, Visual Arts, English A/B, Psychology, Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Biology and the core subjects: Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity Activity Service. All of these will be presented cyclically over the course of the year by a corresponding team of Pierce-IB DP teachers, according to the program.

The cost of participation is €300 per year for all of the courses offered.

If you wish your child to take part in the program, please complete the online application.

Students will depart with the after-school buses, if so desired.

Please note that attendance in the preparatory program does not guarantee or imply entrance into the program (How to apply)