Creativity, tradition, and innovation led the way on Tuesday, November 5, as the Lower School gathered in Tisdall Hall for a parade of centennial-themed robotic floats. Each float, designed, built, and programmed by students with help from their teachers, represented a unique piece of Oak Knoll’s history with themes of diversity, growth, and tradition.

“This special Robot Parade has been a chance for our students to connect with 100 years of Oak Knoll history and traditions, all while looking toward our future,” explained Associate Director of Technology Innovation & Integration and Lower School Technology Teacher Kim Connolly. 

For the past four years, the Lower School has conducted a robot float event in conjunction with the Macy’s Parade. Connolly picks a particular grade level and has them read Ballons Over Broadway, the story of the puppeteer who created the first balloon float for the parade. The chosen grade level then affixes balloons to robots and conducts a rolling spectacle for their peers.

This year, the Macy’s Parade celebrates its centennial in conjunction with Oak Knoll, so an even grander spectacle was in order. Students in each grade level competed to design floats that celebrated some aspect of Oak Knoll’s history.

Throughout the project, students followed the engineering design process—brainstorming ideas, creating prototypes, building their designs, testing, troubleshooting, and making adjustments to perfect their floats. Each phase required problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity.

Lower School Physical Education and Health Teacher Meghan Cassidy served as parade marshall and introduced each robotic float as they circled the gym to the excited cheers of the Lower School students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

With a nod to their moniker, pre-K led off the procession with a Little Acorn-themed robot. 

Next up was kindergarten, who chose “Nativity” as their theme. The class will be center stage in our Christmas Pageant in December. 

Grade one featured “The Future 100 Years of Oak Knoll,” imagining what Oak Knoll might look like in 2124. 

Grade two’s float, titled “Cultural Flags,” represented the diversity of our Oak Knoll community. 

Grade three visualized “Oak Knoll Traditions,” from the spring musical to their exceptional Hats performance.

Grade four labeled their float “From Acorn to Mighty Oak,” reminding us how Oak Knoll has grown from small beginnings into a robust and vibrant community. 

Grade five presented “The Basilica” as a tribute to our spiritual roots and the powerful sense of community that unites us in faith. 

And finally, grade six called their float “The Lioness” to represent our school’s fierce and fearless mascot.

“The results are nothing short of amazing,” Connolly praised, nodding that the project perfectly integrated science, technology, and creativity into an interactive learning experience. “The students and teachers poured their ideas and talents into bringing this parade to life. We couldn’t be prouder of how inventive each float has turned out – a perfect way to honor our past and spark excitement for the years ahead!”