Explosive ordnance disposal technicians and divers assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group (EODGRU) 2 visited students at Scotlandville Pre-engineering Magnet Academy (SPEMA) during a community relations visit as part of Baton Rouge Navy Week, Nov. 1.

The Sailors spoke to 6th-8th grade students in the school's robotics club about the Navy's ground and underwater robotics systems.

"This is a really amazing opportunity for the students, because they get to see and experience the exact types of robots they are trying to replicate in class," said Ingrid Cruz, robotics teacher at SPEMA. "We have three classes that cover varying levels of robotics, starting from robotics toys and eventually ending with the students creating underwater remote-operated vehicles from scratch. Letting them see what they should be striving to accomplish in both design and potential careers is a really unique experience."

The EOD technicians and divers let students interact with the Talon EOD robot, PackBot Transportable EOD robot, the FirstLook EOD robot, and the Seabotix Remote-Operated Vehicle.

"Kids always love playing with the robots, but these students really showed genuine interest in how they worked," said Petty Officer 1st Class Evan Dean, an EOD technician assigned to EODGRU 2. "It was an interesting change to speak to students who had a very high level of knowledge about the robots and how they functioned. Once we explained the basics of how to operate them, it was amazing to see how fast they understood how to drive the robots."

After getting to drive the robot, the students viewed several videos documenting what it takes to become an EOD technician and diver. The students also had the opportunity to ask the Sailors questions about their career field and life in the Navy.

"It's been great to have the Navy here showing the kids the real-life things they are learning about, and I can't wait to have the Navy here again," added Cruz.

Baton Rouge Navy Week is the final Navy Week for 2016 in a series of events that focus a variety of assets, equipment, and personnel on a single city for a weeklong period of engagements designed to bring America's Navy closer to the people it protects.

EODGRU 2, headquartered at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (JEBLCFS), oversees all East Coast-based Navy EOD mobile units, including one forward-deployed mobile unit in Spain, as well as EOD Expeditionary Support Unit 2, EOD Training and Evaluation Unit 2, and the only East Coast-based mobile diving and salvage unit, MDSU 2.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.