Congratulations
to the Robotic Bears FIRST LEGO League Team! What a spectacular time everyone
had at the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) tournament, Robopalooza, last Saturday, January
10, 2015. The event coordinators, the Cornerstone School in conjunction with
Forest High School, were host to over 20 FLL teams and ensured that all
participants left with a sense of accomplishment. Hammett L. Bowen, Jr.
Elementary School’s Robotic Bears took first place in the research category and
brought home the award. GO BEARS!
Beginning
in September, the team has been working hard to complete the World Class Lego
challenge. FLL challenges have two components: a project and a game. The
project piece asks students to think about a problem and create an innovative
solution for it. Using the engineering design process, the Robotic Bears looked
at how students could learn directions, i.e.: north, south, etc.…, while safely
riding a bike; their innovation, the UNHoP (Ultimate Navigational Helmet of
Power) was born. The UNHoP is a bike helmet with a built-in audio app which not
only provides a child with his or her direction, but informs a parent of the
child’s location through a GPS.
In
the robotic Challenge, students programmed an autonomous robot to score points
on a themed
playing field (Robot Game). Without the help of Ursula M.
Schwuttke, director of educational outreach
at the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, and Sam Ajlani, program director
of Engineering Technology, Business, Technology and Workforce at the College
of Central Florida, we would not have been able to compete. Ursula talked her
colleagues into loaning the Bears two of IHMC’s robots and Sam unexpectedly
called to offer his programming support.
I
am so incredibly honored to be a part of the educational community of Marion
County. Experiencing the County’s public schools, private schools, colleges,
and the private sector supporting our children’s dreams makes it ever so
possible for them to dream the impossible. To watch a video clip of the
competition visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6ums9UiZA8. For more information contact Michelle Whipple,
techer of the gifted program at Hammett Bower, Jr. Elementary School at
352.291.7900 ext.50339.
Contributed by:
Michelle Whipple
Teacher of the Gifted
Hammett Bowen, Jr. Elementary
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