Robotics tournament

Students in robotics classes at Bonham Junior High were busy Monday making last-minute adjustments on their robots in preparation for today’s robotics competition in the multipurpose room of UTPB’s Mesa Building.

"We need to change the program 10 degrees," seventh-grader Anna Muy said as she intently watched the robot.

"No, I think that’s too much. Let’s try five degrees," replied seventh-grader Josh O’Dell as their robot made a slow turn, just missing the tuna can it was supposed to pick up.

Nanette Kelton started the robotics program three-and-a-half years ago to get students involved in applicable forms of math and science. There are a limited number of spaces in the program, and every year each student in the program is selected through an application process. To be admitted, the students — usually recommended by elementary school teachers — have to have good attendance, good discipline records and the ability to work independently.

"I think it’s fun because I like building and engineering and I wanted to get to try something different," Ann Muy said.

The class is taught through hands-on experience. Kelton gives out instructions and answers questions, but there are no formal lectures like those found in traditional classes. Instead students work together and help each other to solve their problems, which Kelton notes teaches valuable life skills.

The class is intended to teach the kids how to use the scientific method and how to apply math and science skills to everyday life.

"Most kids didn’t sign up for (the class) because they want to be engineers; they signed up because it sounded like fun," Kelton said.

There are two categories of competition. In the arena competition, the assignment simulates factory work. Students program robots to move cans of tuna fish. If the robot, controlled by a computer program, successfully moves the tuna fish cans from the starting locations to the target destinations, the team scores points. Whoever scores the most points wins the game.

Each competitor receives the same LEGO robotics kit to work with and must build and program the computer to perform the Texas Computer Educators Association-created task. Most students are entered in this competition.

The other competition centers on inventions. Students must find a real-life problem that can be solved with robots. Using as many kits as they like, they must build and program the robot to solve the problem, and then create a marketing campaign that will make it appealing to their target audience.

Two teams have created invention robots this year. One, the MATER is designed to pick up stalled or crashed cars from the side of the road. The other, the Feed Wow will perform the actions of feeding for people who cannot physically feed themselves.

Today’s competition is a chance for some of the local area students to experience the feel of an actual competition before they head to TCEA Area Qualifying competition Dec. 10. Students who win that level go on to compete at the state level next spring.

There will be 140 students from Fort Stockton Middle School, San Jacinto Middle School and Bonham Junior High School competing in the event with 72 of the entrants from Bonham. The arena competition is open to the public, but the invention competition will be closed.