High School Robotic Team Competes With The Help Of Generous Supporters
Robotics Team instructor Jennifer Carwile explains how the team’s robot operates as team members guide the machine using an Android phone app during a visit to Davidson Elementary School earlier this year. The team expresses gratitude for the generous support from the community to help fund their activities.
High School Robotic Team Competes With The Help Of Generous Supporters
The Water Valley High School 10-member robotic team just completed their second year and would like to thank the sponsors who support the program.
“We appreciate the outpouring of support to our students,” Water Valley High School STEM teacher and team leader Jennifer Carwile told the Herald. The sponsors include Mannie Lowe (FIRST Program Manager at the Center for Mathematics and Science Education at Ole Miss), Ole Miss civil engineering PhD student Grace Rushing, Special Ts in Batesville, Cayce Washington at Valley Tool and Travis and Amy Brooks.
Carwile said the support ranged from monetary contributions and time to the assistance from Valley Tool in machining specialty parts. The robotic team, Twisted Circuits, also received a technology grant through FIRST, which helped cover the cost of the team’s registration fees for competition. Students collected money with a bake sale, a costume contest and other activities.
The robotics team started last year, initially composed of freshman students. After the first year, the team solicited members from all high school students. Carwile explained team members are selected through an application process and current team members select new members based on grades, behavior in school, and a clean joke!
“I know the joke sounds odd, but having a good attitude and being easy-going is a big deal. A good joke can tell a lot about a student,” Carwile added. The team is currently accepting applications from 8th to 12th grade students for this upcoming season. Students meet every Wednesday afternoon, during holidays and school break.
“We work when we can,” Carwile told the Herald. Team members are challenged to design, build, program and operate robots to play a floor game.
The preparation prepares the team for competition against other teams in FIRST Tech Challenge to complete specific goals outlined in the challenge. This year the team competed in the Jackson and Lafayette qualifiers but did not qualify for state competition. However, Carwile and several team members volunteered to work at the event.
Work has already started to help fund the team’s expenses for the coming year, starting with a letter writing campaign to solicit funds, Carwile added.
