HOPE – Yerger Middle School robotics made an impression on the judges at the FIRST Lego League state competition recently in Fayetteville.
\r\nThe YMS RoboCats placed sixth among 32 teams at the contest on the University of Arkansas campus Jan. 24-25, team sponsor Melinda Strike said. Team members included Abigail Contreras, Cynthia Vargas and Lanod Westmoreland.\r\n
\r\n“Hope should be proud of these students,” Strike said. “They cheered on every team, never gave up and represented Hope well. When challenges kept coming up, these three students did not quit or lose their team spirit.”\r\n
\r\nAnd, the contest judges noticed, she said.\r\n
\r\n“Students were also judged on the FIRST Lego League Core Values,” Strike said. “The judges said the team did ‘a great job at persisting and not giving up when challenges arose.’”\r\n
\r\nThat was particularly true during the Robot Performance phase of the contest.\r\n
\r\n“The team was able to score 350 points, the most this season, on their last table run,” Strike said. “The RoboCats finished sixth in robot performance.”\r\n
\r\nShe said the contest was divided into four segments: Robot Performance, Core Values, Robot Design, and Innovation Project.\r\n
\r\nStrike said the YMS Innovation Project also made an impression.\r\n
\r\n“Team members presented their project where they worked with Hope Street Superintendent Tim Blue to install a crosswalk for students at YMS,” she said. “With the help of Mr. Tim, the students were able to paint the crosswalk and learn more about the process for crosswalks.”\r\n
\r\nThe team created a photo using the crosswalk in iconic fashion, with a nod to the classic Abbey Road album cover of The Beatles.\r\n
\r\nStrike said the team also had an opportunity to tour the UA main campus and attend an Arkansas Razorbacks basketball game on campus.\r\n
\r\nStrike and YMS teacher Hosea Born are the team coaches.\r\n
