We've Got IT M.A.D.E.!
CONGRATULATIONS! Our team finished 2nd in the county competition!
A special thank you to our coach Mr. Jorge Trevino!
Thinkers, risk-takers, knowledgeable, communicators...the MDS MADE team engineered their way into second place at the Morganton Art Design and Engineering competition last Wednesday. Technician, Diego, was quite the thinker and came up with great ideas for modifying the robot design both in preliminary practices and during the competition. One idea saved the team from hours of rework, giving them enough time to focus on reprogramming. Field Identification Specialist, Emma, worked hard and focused within her self-made "field lab". She collected all necessary materials, tracked information, communicated with others to determine target locations, and laid out the team's planned route (complete with compass rose data). As part of the competition, students were to design and create the most amazing competition course map. Emma stepped up to the challenge, transporting the viewer into our beautiful WNC landscapes. Meanwhile, while the mechanical and electrical changes were being resolved, Kyndell took action, working together with Coach Trevino, to reprogram Kripto's drive system to 4WD mode. He had to remove all code errors, and after a couple of iterations, the team was back in competition mode. On the platform, it was Macy and Joey's turn to shine! They led the practice rounds like true professionals. Macy defined an action plan for the rescue mission, including a list of targets in sequence that would give us the fastest route with the most points possible. Joey, taking his MADE cap and turning it inside out to demonstrate his serious concentration, executed the plan, controlling Krypto with an amazing display of turns and speed.
Along with securing the second-place trophy, the MDS team won both side challenges - "Timed race" and "Most Rescued Items Against the Clock," giving MDS bragging rights, plus a couple boxes of donuts. The students were up against both middle school and high school teams for these challenges!
Our students demonstrated positivity and sportsmanship throughout the day. They took opportunities to talk with other teams and even collaborated with students from several schools to hone ideas and share materials. Using the engineer design process, they were able to work together and problem-solve any challenges that came their way. Ultimately, their ability to maneuver their robot through the competition terrain awarded them second place in the county-wide competition. Go Titans!
Treesie Cape
Curriculum Coordinator
(based on reflections by Coach Jorge Trevino)