Total Recall -- Day 3

The team did not meet officially today due to Open House at Westlake HIgh School, but students chose to meet and discuss the contest.  I had students coming into the classroom starting at the beginning of 8th period and it continued up until Open House began at 6:30.  One group of 10 students stayed in the shop to discuss, debate, brainstorm and theorize about the contest.  If was great for the parents and the high school administration to witness the students choosing to work on their own for the contest and the team.  The group in the shop was composed of students that represented all types of students on the team:  

• First year Robotics I students from this year with no experience on the team or in robotics
• Robotics II students - the contest is an extension of the class and a required participation
• Ex Robotics II who are not enrolled in any robotics class this year but are very active in leadership roles, one of which is the first four year student in our program
• Robotics III students - students who are enrolled in ISM with mentorship from mentors on our robotics team
• Non Robotics class students who have chosen to participate on the team

These students primarily spent time discussing strategy and potential designs to fit each strategy.  The discussion included drawings on the windows with erasable markers to demonstrate ideas to each other.  

No decisions were made in regards to strategy or design of the robot but respect was earned by some of those individuals with student team leads.  It was also very apparent to the parents that the students was engaged in the process and very motivated as individuals.  

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Total Recall - Day 2

 We met this afternoon since we will not be able to meet on Monday night.  Monday night is Open House for Westlake High School.  David and Lauren ran the meeting and discussions. David made a small presentation to the group concerning team structure, student leadership and purpose of the meeting for the day.  

The group discussed any questions they had on the games rules and descriptions.  It was hard to keep the team focused on the task at hand.  Several times, someone would bring up a design feature or description of the robot.  Lots of discussions of rules interpretations and definitions.  Definitions of game pieces and the field have seemed hard to keep clear at this point. The group focused on a strategy and what we would attempt in each round along with a time line.  The formula for the scoring was discussed at length to explain the importance of each portion of it.  It became very clear using the scoring sheet what we felt was best for us to attempt in each round. 

Grant proposed a scoring strategy with a time line.  Discussions arose over how long it would take for each part of the round.  I volunteered to be the robot for demonstration purposes for Grant and the team.  The team designated landmarks in the classroom that represented the course. Grant gave me instructions to perform that represented actions of his scoring strategy.  The time was recorded for each me to complete each action.  After each action, discussion ensued about the time taken and how effective our robot would be in performing the action.  Students from last year team had good input on the time it would take based on observations of last year's robot in the contest.  Shelby recorded the actions and the predicted times for each action.  The team discussed how the score would change according to different scenarios as well as the order of the steps of the robot actions.  The scenario gave the team the ability to evaluate the game and contest in a visual way as well as comparing it to the time in the round.  The actions of the robot strategy were decided upon.  David and Lauren led the team in the Robot Will, Robot Might and Robot Will not activity.

Students were given the task to begin to work on designs that fit the strategy of the robot.  These designs should be done in small groups rather than as an individual.  The designs should also include the motors, servos, methods of performing each task, etc.  

David is going to write up the Robot Strategy the team decided upon and share it in Google Docs with the team.  David closed the meeting with having a small meeting with students who are interested in working in team leadership positions.  

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2010 BEST Robotics Contest Kickoff - Total Recall

The countdown has begun.  Day one Today was the beginning of the BEST Robotics Kickoff for 2010.  Total Recall is name of the game this year. The kickoff was held at Pfluegerville Connally High School.  The kickoff consisted of workshops, game reveal and kit of parts pickup.  Scott McMahon, our lead Mentor, delivered a workshop on RobotC for VEX.  We had the largest number of students in attendance Westlake has ever had. The event last nearly all day since the workshops were 2 hours long.  The game was setup all day for teams to look at.  There was lots of speculation. This year represents the 10th anniversary for Capital BEST.  Capital BEST was responsible for designing the game this year.   

Teams took a break for lunch and returned for Kit of Parts Pickup and Inventory.  Lots of changes this year in store for the BEST Contest.  The control system is the VEX Cortex Microcontroller and VEXnet Joystick.  Teams will be able to program with EacyC or RobotC as well as use MathLAB Simulink.  Teams also received the SolidWorks  for 5 months along with InspirTech SolidWorks curriculum software.  In addition to the VEX control system, the Kit of parts also has some changes.  Our kit has new motors, motor interface connectors and numbers of servos.  

The game was revealed after a short video explaining the contest and a guest speaker.  Teams were introduced to the game concepts in the video and then moved to the filed for the demonstration as well as Q and A.

Our team loaded our materials up and headed back to the shop for discussion.  Each member of the team received a packet of rules for the Game as well as the Generic rules.  We spent time reading over the rules, discussing the rules and definitions.  The game has a large number of terms to keep straight and learn.  David and Sean lead the meeting with the students.  Sean reiterated the fact that reading the rules is so very important.  

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Girl Scout Organizes Robotics Camp For Underprivileged Youth - Community News Story - KSAT San Antonio

Girl Scout Organizes Robotics Camp For Underprivileged Youth

Teen Runs Camp For Gold Star Award Project

Eileen Gonzales, KSAT 12 News Reporter

POSTED: Friday, August 6, 2010

UPDATED: 5:22 pm CDT August 6, 2010

SAN ANTONIO -- While most teens have summer dreams of beaches and shopping malls, 17-year-old Haley Demos had the vision of organizing a robotics camp for underprivileged children.

Watch Eileen Gonzales' Report

"I figured that I would hold a camp for young kids to get introduced to science technology, engineering and mathematics for kids who can't really afford it," she said.

Demos organized the camp as part of her Girl Scouts Gold Award Project. It's the highest ranking for a Girl Scout and equivalent to the Boy Scouts' Eagle Scout ranking.

The project had to benefit the community and she had to do every bit of planning herself.

"I've been working on it for two months, probably (for) more than 250 hours, (in) every spare moment that I have," said Demos.

During the five-day camp, kids build and program robots using science, engineering and math skills, she said. They then put the the robots to the test on an obstacle course.

Judging from the response, it was a big hit.

"It's been really fun," said 10-year-old Alyssa Snow. "I really like this because, one, I get to meet new people and two, I get to do math and science which are the two things I love about school."

"I really like it," 8-year-old Adrian Langley said. "I want to be an engineer when I grow up."

Demos said she sacrificed her summer for the project. She said it almost didn't happen, however. She said her appendix burst two and half weeks ago, but she recovered just in time.

Next, she said she'll present the project to a Girl Scout council for approval.

However, she said she feels she's already received a lasting reward.

"It's all been worth it just to see the smiles on the kids' faces," she said.

Copyright 2010 by KSAT.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

via ksat.com

Great story from San Antonio passed on to me from Joel Adkins, Technology Director for Kerrville ISD in Kerrville, Texas.

We need more students to take charge such as Haley Demos has done in organizing a robotics camp for underprivileged students. I wonder where she got the itch for STEM?

Please pass this onto students who you know are looking for projects, ideas and/or programs to participate in. Do you think colleges/ universities will be interested in a person such as Haley?

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"You Gotta Learn to Love These Times..." quote by John Gruden to high school football players

"You gotta learn to love these times like right now.

When you are hot, when you are sore, when you are exhausted, those are the times that you gotta love.

That is what I miss most about football! Is times like this!

You gotta love misery. You gotta love being together right now. You take your misery out on your next opponent you play.  Right guys?

I am proud of you guys!  And Keep it going."

This is the after game comments he made to the high school football players he is volunteering to work with this summer.

ESPN is following John Gruden as he volunteers with his son's high school football team this summer.  The video clip on Sportscenter showed his team competing but struggling with the results of the competition. His words struck a chord with me.  What is that makes being part of a team so special.  Of course, we all remember the wins and the good times but is that what molds us and transforms us. 

• Going to practice
• Sacrifice for the good of the team
• Work hard
• Improve despite the obstacles
• Learn from our mistakes
• Encourage others

What are the things you remember about being on a team?  It does not have to be a sports team.  We are all part of a team.

Sidenote

I admire John Gruden for volunteering his expertise to the team he is working with. Granted his son plays for the team so that is a big motivation for him but how is he impacting besides his son?  The coaches have talked about how much they have learned in the process.  What impact will this have not only the current team and players but in the future?  This is a great example of a mentor thinking about giving back to the community  We need more mentors to follow John Gruden's example.

What impact or legacy are your leaving?  Who are you mentoring?  Have you considered becoming a mentor?  I know we have special talents and skills we can pass on to our community.  Reach out and touch someones life, you never know what it will lead to. 

If not for my mentors, I cannot imagine where or what I would be doing. 

• My parents were my first mentors in so many ways: school, get up and try it again, do your best, be patience, help others, do not be afraid to talk to others.
  
• Mark Adams, my college basketball coach, believe in yourself; Go Get Your First Job as a Head Basketball Coach; If it is to be, it is up to me; hard practice makes the game easy.
  
• Dean Phillips, friend and substitute teacher: Be yourself, challenge yourself, share your stories, love life
• Clifton McNeely, previous head basketball coach at Westlake High School: No Pearl Harbors or in other words be prepared and try to have not surprises
• Paul Gothard, previous Superintendent at Irion County High School: You will not always have the best talent and it is not always about winning but do your best anyway with what you have.  
• Dale Blaut, played college basketball at West Texas State University and worked with me on as a basketball player:  Break it down into simple steps, practice each step and put them together. 
  
• and many others.
  

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GEAR-Tech-21 teaches robotics, GPS and GIS Technologies

About GEAR-Tech-21

GEAR-Tech-21 teaches robotics, GPS, and GIS technologies through building and programming a robot, navigation, and mapmaking activities.

We help you with step-by-step guides and resources. It’s real learning with real adventures! Your club can even compete in virtual competitions with teams located across the country.

GEAR-Tech-21 is based on the Nebraska Robotics and GPS/GIS in 4-H: Workforce Skills for the 21st Century program and is funded by the National Science Foundation.

The program includes:

• Innovative curriculum and educator’s guide for 300 instruction hours set over a two-year period.
• Summer camps with camp-in-a-box organizational resources, coordinated by Nebraska 4-H and local programs across the country. Camp programs are available for beginner and advanced levels.
• Annual national 4-H robotics virtual competitions.

GEAR-Tech-21 is current in its second National Science Foundation grant to “scale up” the project, and increase participation to be nationwide.

Parents, volunteers, and youth - you can start your own GEAR-Tech-21 group in your area or coordinate a GEAR-Tech-21 summer camp.

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via 4hset.unl.edu

More and more resources are becoming available for teachers to implement and use. Many universities and clubs are getting involved in the STEM movement for schools and students.

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High Schoolers to the Rescue - Reverse Engineering Gun Mounts

High Schoolers to the Rescue

Posted on June 21st, 2010 by ASEE

As the Navy’s main combat search-and-rescue gunship,  the Sikorsky HH-60H Seahawk is a workhorse of a helicopter that’s been in service since the mid-1980s. That means that the “Rescue Hawk,” as it’s known, sometimes needs updating. Now, help for the new redesign is coming from an unexpected quarter — a San Antonio high school.

According to the San Antonio Business Journal, local engineering firm J.M. Waller Associates has been contracted by the Navy to reverse engineer the Seahawk’s Gatling gun mounts,  redesigning them to “overcome a diminishing parts supply.” So, the company has enlisted students from the STEM RAM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Richard A. Middleton) Academy to give a hand. The project requires J.M. Waller’s engineers to redesign the mounts using 3D solid models and prototypes, and the STEM RAM students will be at the heart of the modeling and design effort.

“We are very excited about working with the STEM RAM Academy on this project,” Scott Gray, the company’s vice president, told the Journal. It will, he says, give the students a “hands-on engineering opportunity.”

via teachers.egfi-k12.org

San Antonio High Schoolers are going to help the United States Navy redesign machine gun mounts with 3D solid models and prototypes. Do you think these kids will remember what did in class 20 years from now? I think they will.
Great example of industry working with education to help each other out.

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