Four high school students will present “Frank” at the 2026 MACUL/AT&T Student Technology Showcase.
HOWARD CITY, Mich. — Four Tri County High School students will represent Tri County Area Schools at the 2026 MACUL/AT&T Student Technology Showcase on Wednesday, December 2, at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing.
Cade Williams, Calvin Kulak, Aiden Poll, and Zoey Zarna will bring “Frank,” a humanoid robot they helped build, program, and improve through a STEM project that began at Tri County Middle School under the direction of Dr. Christina Adamson.
Based on the InMoov humanoid robot design by French designer Gaël Langevin, Frank uses artificial intelligence and can recognize speech, faces, colors, and shapes. He can answer questions, wave, give high fives and fist bumps, and tell robot jokes.
Students assembled 3D-printed parts, installed servo motors, routed electrical connections, and tested the robot’s programming. Williams and Kulak began building Frank in middle school and are now freshmen. Poll and Zarna joined this school year to learn the programming platform and re-engineer parts damaged during testing.
The Idea Behind Frank
For Adamson, the project began with an idea sparked by a professional learning experience.
“Attending the ISTE conference in San Antonio provided the vision for this transformative opportunity. Experiencing the In-Moov EZ robot firsthand made it clear that our students were fully capable of tackling a project of this scale,” said Adamson.
“Thanks to the steadfast support of our school district, that vision became a reality. Building this robot brings computer science concepts off the screen and into the real world—delivering a deeply engaging, hands-on application that truly brings learning to life,” Adamson added.
Student Creativity and Teamwork
Tri County Middle School Principal Jessica Kurtz recognized both the students’ work and Adamson’s leadership in bringing the project to the district.
“I’m proud of the creativity and teamwork our students brought to Frank, from building his components to bringing his interactive features to life. I am also grateful to Dr. Christina Adamson for her initiative and vision in bringing this hands-on opportunity to our students. It’s exciting to see this team represent Tri County Area Schools at the Student Technology Showcase,” said Kurtz.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
Superintendent Ryan Biller emphasized the value of students applying classroom knowledge through authentic challenges.
“This is exactly the kind of learning experience we want for our students,” said Biller. “These students aren’t just learning about technology. They’re applying their knowledge, solving real problems, working together, and creating something remarkable. We’re proud to have them represent Tri County at the state level.”
Showcase Details
The MACUL/AT&T Student Technology Showcase brings students from across Michigan together to demonstrate how technology can enhance learning, creativity, and innovation. The event takes place Wednesday, December 2, from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m. in Heritage Hall at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing.