Staff photo by Hannah LaClaire Nashua North’s Robert Lalancette, seated in the foreground, was honored at last night’s Board of Education meeting.

NASHUA – In his 33 years as an educator, Robert Lalancette has taught science, math, engineering, technology, physics, history and literature- all in the same class.

Lalancette, the Marine Robotics and Woodworking Technology instructor at Nashua High School North, developed the Marine Robotics program eight years ago, unbeknownst to him, parallel to a national trend.

Lalancette was honored with the STEM Excellence in Teaching Award from the New Hampshire Society of Professional Engineers at the Board of Education meeting on Monday night. The award acknowledges “Excellence in the teaching of STEM as evidenced by creativity, innovation, integration of programs and learning effectiveness” according to a brochure from the NHSPE.

Despite having to put on a suit, Lalancette said, he was both honored, albeit surprised, by the award.

The program, he said, combined problem solving skills with practical application of skills.

“If you’re going to throw math and science at kids they’re going to want to know why,” Lalancette said in an interview.

In his class, students design, build and operate underwater robots to navigate a tank and bring back items like small coins or even cannonballs.

He teaches the science, math and technology involved in engineering and robotics, as well as sea laws, history of various shipwrecks or other underwater recovery missions (such as lost treasure) and teaches the work of Jules Verne, who Lalancette said was ahead of his time.

It is important to let kids fail, he said, but to also guide them back in the right direction and talk to them about how they could improve. It is also important to teach students that anything is possible.

It is always impossible until it is done, he said, citing bumblebees as prime examples.

“Bumblebees shouldn’t be able to fly according to physics, but bumblebees can’t do math so they fly anyway,” he said.

The program, and marine robotics in general, has not yet “scratched the surface” of what this field is capable of, although the program has taken off recently, he said, thanks to finally getting “the support we need” from administration.

Lalancette said he has had a few prodigies come through his class, including Andy Turner, a student who spoke at the small award ceremony Monday.

“Mr. Lalancette has shown me everything I want to be both in and out of the class,” he said. “Without him I wouldn’t know what I want to do.”

Amanda Bastoni, one of the nominating parties and the Career Technical Education director, said that she was impressed with the impact he has had on students’ lives.

“The bond he forms with his students is deserving of an award,” she said.

Lalancette was given a commemorative plaque and a cash stipend to go toward classroom materials.

Hannah LaClaire can be reached at 594-1243 or hlaclaire@nashuatelegraph.com.