Robotics event celebrates teamwork

Members of the Cougar Bots team from Canton Country Day School, Canton, Ohio, celebrate following their performance at the FIRST LEGO League Ohio State Robotics Championship. The 2008 event, co-sponsored by the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Educational Outreach Office, brought together 48 teams of students and mentors from across the state to demonstrate their knowledge of environmental issues. The competition was held Jan. 12-13 at Wright State University. The Cougar Bots team took Dependable Design Award honors. (U.S. Air Force photo/Derek Kaufman)

Ohio teams compete at FIRST LEGO League State Championship

LEGO Lab Rats team members Justin Mullaney, of McNicholas High School, and C.J. Howitt of St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati, review their robot's success performing various tasks with referee Dave Parker during the FIRST LEGO League Ohio State Robotics Championship. The 2008 event, co-sponsored by the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Educational Outreach Office, brought together 48 teams of students and mentors from across the state to demonstrate their knowledge of environmental issues. The competition was held Jan. 12-13 at Wright State University. Parker works in the Air Force Materiel Command Information Assurance Office at Wright-Patt. (U.S. Air Force photo/Derek Kaufman)

Speed and accuracy

Canton sixth graders Drake Danner and Austin Blackerby quickly reposition their robot to perform a pre-programmed mission during a timed event at the FIRST LEGO League Ohio State Robotics Championship. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Educational Outreach Office co-sponsored the annual event which brought together 48 teams of students and mentors from across the state to demonstrate their problem solving skills and knowledge of environmental issues. The competition was held Jan. 12-13 at Wright State University. (U.S. Air Force photo/Derek Kaufman)

Top Youth Mentor

Justin Von Wahlde, of the Energizer Monkeys team, is interviewed by Dayton media during the FIRST LEGO League Ohio State Robotics Championship Jan. 13 at Wright State University. Von Wahlde, a sophmore from Reading Junior - Senior High School, Ohio, was singled out as top Youth Coach/Mentor during the event. (U.S. Air Force photo/Derek Kaufman)

Students leave state robotics event charged

Published Jan. 22, 2008
By Derek Kaufman
88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

FAIRBORN, Ohio -- Sporting bright team colors and equally colorful team names like Energizer Monkeys and Fossil Fuel Fighters, students from across Ohio converged at Wright State University Jan. 12 - 13 to demonstrate their knowledge of computer programming, robotics and environmental issues.

Teams of students and volunteer mentors and judges left charged after two days of intense, sometimes frenetic competition which featured timed events where pre-programmed robots performed a myriad of simulated tasks like mining coal, oil drilling or installing solar panels and wind turbines. Teams were also judged on research projects and presentations on energy management and conservation.

A total of 48 teams qualified for the FIRST LEGO League Ohio State Championship Tournament during one of ten regional tournaments held earlier in the cities of Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo.

"Every year I'm more impressed by the creativeness and enthusiasm these young people display," said Kathy Levine, FIRST LEGO League director for Ohio. Levine also serves as Educational Outreach Office Robotics Program manager at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patt has co-sponsored the tournament since 2001, in part because the Air Force believes the competition inspires kids to pursue studies in engineering, mathematics and science, she said.

"We try to make learning fun. Judging by all of the smiles and cheering, I think we succeeded," Levine added after the awards ceremony.

Award categories and winners for the Ohio championship tournament, along with their affiliation, are listed below.

Champion's Award - Energizer Monkeys, Reading Community City Schools (1st Place); RIDGE, Ridge Junior Robotics (2nd Place); Quantum Bots, North Ridgeville (3rd Place)
Dependable Design Award - Cougar Bots, Canton Country Day School (1st Place); Global Warnings, Edison Intermediate School (2nd Place)
Innovative Design - Cougars, Clintonville Academy (1st Place); Lakota Ridge Solar Bears, Ridge Jr. Robotics (2nd Place)
Programming - Team Green, Laurel School (1st Place); Power Panthers, Loveland (2nd Place)
Robot Performance - Cougars, Clintonville Academy (1st Place); Energizer Monkeys, Reading Community Schools (2nd Place); LEGO Aces, Granville Intermediate School (3rd Place)
Research Quality - Unies & the Geek, Columbus School for Girls (1st Place); Loveland LEGO Legends, Loveland Intermediate School (2nd Place)
Innovative Solution - Power Stackers, Boonshoft Museum of Discovery (1st Place); Milford Maniacs, Loveland (2nd Place)
Creative Presentation - Fossil Fuel Fighters, Loveland (1st Place); Power Pac, Normandy Elementary School (2nd Place)
Teamwork - LEGO Aces, Granville Intermediate School (1st Place); NRG, Carson Academy of Excellence (2nd Place)
Rising Star - Hopewell Nerds, Hopewell Elementary School
Team Spirit - Legoship of the Rings, Ottawa Hills Elementary School
Martin Luther King Dream - 3D, Toledo
Judges - Techno Tinkers, Clarksville
Founders - LEGO Lab Rats, St. Thomas More School, Cincinnati

Individual awards were also presented to Terrence Chu of the Power Stacker's team as top Adult Coach/Mentor and Justin Von Wahlde, of the Energizer Monkeys as top Youth Coach/Mentor.