The Town Crier
Nov 19, 2009
Buffalo Island Central Robotics team joined 19 other teams from across Arkansas and Tennessee to compete at Arkansas State University in the BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology) robotics competition held on Oct. 31.
BIC, for the fourth consecutive year, picked up the prestigious BEST Award. This award is given to the team with the best engineering notebook, research paper, marketing display, oral presentation and shows the true spirit of sportsmanship during the competition.
In addition, the team picked up its second consecutive Founder’s Award, given to the team who robot design demonstrates the most creative and innovative concepts.
The team also received first place in the areas of best CAD drawings and elegant design. Steve Brummett, algebra I/calculus/advanced math teacher, and Debbie Olive, junior high counselor and English teacher, were named “Robotics Teachers of the Year.”
The team will travel to Ft. Smith in December to compete against teams from approximately 11 other sates.
This year’s competition involved knowledge of chemistry. The team’s robot must gather and combine molecules to form one of four chemical reactions. BIC has named its robot “Mr. Ego,” an acronym for “Molecule Retrieving-Energy Gathering Operator.” After its fifth place finish at ASU in the robot competition, the team plans to make some modifications and spend more time practicing driving the robot before the December competition.
The team is made up of 20 students in grades 9-12. The team meets from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The team is interested in making presentations to other schools or civic organizations that might be interested in the BEST program. For more information, contact Debbie Olive or Steve Brummett at the BIC Junior High.
