Ready to Rumble!
Cowlitz County 4-H Robotics Team Scores Big at Regional Event
By Betsy Fradd, WSU Extension 4-H
Wild cheering, precision maneuvering and excellent controller skills were all part of the excitement as the Cowlitz County 4-H Robotics team claimed high honors at the regional FIRST Robotics competition. The Bits and Bots high school team tied for third place overall March 9 – 12 in Portland, Oregon.
Groups had six weeks to design and construct a robot weighing up to 120 pounds. Students comprising nearly 70 teams were given a kit with motors, batteries, a control system, a PC, and a mix of automation components – but no instructions. In this contest teams competed in a basketball game where the robot needed to score by gathering and throwing foam balls through hoops. Two alliances of three teams each scored as many hoops as possible during a two-minute and 15-second match. Additional points were earned if balls dropped through higher hoops.
4-H Cowlitz County Bits and Bots robotics team in the pit with their robot
“The competition is designed to be challenging,” said Jennifer Leach, WSU Cowlitz County Extension 4-H educator. “There is time pressure just as in real life situations. Some youth are good in programming, some in design, and others have great welding skills. They learn quickly that communication is key to working together to be successful, make changes and adapt to what is needed at the moment,” added Leach.
Over 30 judges looked at how youth worked as a team and interacted with others to accomplish tasks in addition to scoring the design of robot.
Partnering with the Longview School District, the Cowlitz County 4-H robotics team attracted over 20 adult mentors to guide the students. “Our mentors volunteered four nights a week and Saturdays working with our youth on fabrication, design, and programming,” said Leach. “Teens got to be with other adults in their life who value science and technology and have a commitment to their future.”
Financial backing from JC Penney, National 4-H Council and The Bezos Family Foundation, along with team fundraising, and significant local business support, provided funding for the competition.
Additional regional events are scheduled for Seattle March 22 – 24 and Spokane April 5 - 7. Finalists compete in St. Louis, Missouri in April. There are 2,400 teams worldwide taking part.
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 to motivate young people to pursue education and careers in science, technology, math and engineering.
View regional matches by WSU Cowlitz County’s 4-H Bits and Bots team.
To learn more about FIRST visit: Usfirst.org
Posted March 2012
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,