By Patchen Barss
People say that to a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
The same cannot be said for a Hammerhead. The Hammerheads, an all-abilities robotics team based in Hamilton Ontario, solve problems creatively and contextually.
Corben Scarrow, a 2025 EKO scholar, has been a long-time mentor, coach and program coordinator for the Hammerheads, which is supported by Hamilton Health Sciences “Technology in Action” programme.
“I do my best to create a learning environment where each child knows they have something valuable to bring to the team regardless of whatever limitations they might have, and can feel proud of what they have to offer,” the 18-year-old says. Scarrow knows personally how discouraging it can feel to have rigid, supposedly one-size-fits-all expectations imposed in a learning environment. He advocates for more of a focus on individual accomplishments than standardized expectations.
One of the reasons the ‘accomplishments over expectations’ methodology is not as widely acknowledged is the education system's reliance on uniformity,” the 19-year-old says. “Every student is taught the same exact material, with the same level of instruction, taking tests on the same days, all to meet this looming global standard. This system does not see the value in celebrating the individual learning journey.”
Scarrow has no shortage of accomplishments. With more than 100 hours of volunteer work, and equally dedicated time as a paid coach, he’s helped the Hammerheads win awards at two provincial championships. Beyond Lego robotics, he has also worked with the Technology in Action to plan and create course material covering everything from drone flying to journalism. He’s also an avid reader, and plays bass in a band called Redwood, as part of the Hamilton Music Collective’s Jambassadors program, which teaches students not just about music, but also about the music business.
He also maintained marks and academic accomplishments sufficient to garner acceptance at both Guelph and Western Universities. Colleagues and friends at the Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre describe him as driven, resilient, and perseverant — all useful qualities, but also the kinds of resources that excessive expectations can deplete.
“Expectations place a fire under our feet that oftentimes moves us forward faster than we would go otherwise. The only problem is that if that fire is left to burn for too long, it can burn us out,” the 18-year-old said.
Though Scarrow is university bound with an EKO scholarship, he still thinks about the question of celebrating accomplishments rather than enforcing expectations in terms of the younger kids he has helped mentor and coach.
“As someone with ASD, I understand the importance of accommodation when it comes to teaching … Self-confidence is such an important factor in learning … It’s amazing how much a child can achieve when they’re given a chance to feel proud of their own accomplishments rather than be pressured to meet a certain standard.”
Meet our 2025 EKO Scholars