Student Profile: Michael McGroary Loves Electronics

By Larissa Crater

Staff Writer

Michael McGroary loves building robots in robotics class. The sophomore currently is constructing a ping pong catapult robot. “It’s basically an RC car with a catapult on top that will toss a ping pong ball.”

Michael has already assembled a remote control car -- made of half a cube with four wheels, gears and wires -- which had to go through a maze and other obstacles.

Michael wants to build electronics that look “cool.” When he came to Woodlynde last year, he saw there was a robotics elective and he went right for it. Now he really enjoys the course and completing a project.

“You have this mental picture in your head and when you finished it, you think to yourself, ‘I just finished that,’ and it’s the greatest feeling in the world.”

Michael has some other interests that he enjoys, including acting and stage crew.

He likes stage crew because he is behind the scenes, and works with all the sets and props. He also has the opportunity to be on stage and build robotic objects.

“You get to move stuff,” he said. “You kinda get to act like a ninja because stage crew isn't supposed to be [seen].” Michael does a lot of painting of the sets, as well as building and setting it up. “You do it as fast as possible.”   

His favorite play that he has worked on was at his old school when he was in eighth grade, because he and his classmates wrote it themselves.

Michael runs cross country. “I don’t know why I like it,” he said. “It’s like watching games on YouTube. I don’t know why I like that, either. I just do.”

Michael used to play piano, but he stopped awhile ago because he didn't really like it.

Michael has two brothers he said he doesn’t get along with very well: Sean, who is 12, and Owen, who is 10. 

If he could be stuck in an elevator with anyone, it would be Justin Bieber so he could hurt him because the music hurts Michael’s ears “His voice is very annoying,” Michael said.