Weber School District sends four teams to international robotics competition
March 18, 2017
Story by Anna Burleson • Photos by Brian Nicholson • Standard-Examiner
OGDEN — The large metal robot aggressively tossed square beanbags and large rubber jacks over the fence. Although the machinery smacked into the floor and knocked against other jacks in the field, it stayed together.
At the helm Tuesday, March 14, with a video game controller in the Weber Innovation Center, Fremont High School senior Madison Wadsworth guided the robot back and forth to collect more objects and toss them over the fence during the 60-second trial run.
“Thirty-six points,” CTE Coordinator John Donley said. “You’re rusty!”
After a few more runs through the course, Wadsworth easily scored 40 points.
The team is one of four in the Weber School District that qualified to compete April 19-22 in the Worlds VEX Robotics Competition in Kentucky.
Story continues below video.
Donley said the district usually has at least two teams that go, but this year is the first time he has seen four qualify.
“They’re all really excited to compete,” he said.
The all-girl high school team was the only all-girl team to compete at Utah’s state level.
Makaiya Nunn, a Fremont High senior who is co-captain and the team’s programmer, said she has only seen one other all-girl team compete at the state level, and they weren’t there this year.
“I’ve never really worried about it, but there have been times where our team has been overlooked. But we’ve always been able to step up and show them, ‘Hey, we can do this!’” she said.
All five girls on the team described one competition where, despite being highly ranked, other teams didn’t want to partner with them in a doubles skill competition.
Story continues below photo.
A robot built by members of an all-female robotics team, a first for Weber County, competes against the clock by trying to throw foam jacks and bean bags over a fence during a demonstration at Weber Innovations on Tuesday, March 14, 2017. The team from schools in Weber School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April. BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner
“We came in and destroyed,” Nunn said. “We came in second place.”
Nunn’s father Robert said it has been a lot of fun watching his daughter create and operate the robot. He’s excited for her to attend Utah Valley University for computer programming.
“The state competition, the reason why it was so impressive, was because after they qualified for it they had one last tournament, and after that they decided to dismantle the robot an rebuild it with different gear ratios to make it faster and stronger,” he said.
Donley said at the high school level, the worlds competition will consist of 15 seconds of autonomous programming followed by a volleyball-like match against other robots competing to get the most objects on the opposite side of the wall. Teams can win titles in match points, design and other categories.
Although there are parameters the girls had to follow, they built their robot from scratch with VEX parts and named it LoosElectric — Lucy for short — because of the machine’s tenancy to shock the girls and have screws come loose.
From left, Naomi Elmer, the programer; Madison Wadsworth, the driver; and Breann Carlin, a scout, watch as their robot competes against the clock during a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The all-female robotics team from schools in Weber School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April. BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner
The school had nine teams this year led by parent volunteers. Frost said the winning groups consists of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students, half boys and half girls.
The teams start out with generic robot models they use everyday inspiration, such as elevators, to modify and improve.
“It’s just so lovely they work together and they know they have maybe different strengths, but they’re all able to do it,” Frost said.
Another team from Kanesville Elementary School also qualified to go to the international competition.
“I still play soccer and love sports, and I never thought a robotics competition would be thrilling, but it’s really like a sports event,” Frost said. “It’s super fun.”
There are 540 teams going to the competition from every state in the nation and several foreign countries including New Zealand, Puerto Rico, China and Japan.
“It really is a world championship,” Donley said.
Weber School District had four teams qualify to compete at the Worlds VEX Robotics Competition, held April 19-22 in Kentucky.
BN 031417 Robotics Team 01Madison Wadsworth and Breann Carlin prepare their robot for a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The all-female robotics team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 02Madison Wadsworth and Naomi Elmer prepare their robot for a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The all-female robotics team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 11-9A robot built by members of an all-female robotics team, a first for Weber County, competes against the clock by trying to throw foam jacks and bean bags over a fence during a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 10-8With the help of instructor John Donley, MaKaiya Nunn works to repair a minor failure on a robot she and her team built Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The all-female robotics team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 09-7MaKaiya Nunn works to repair a minor failure on a robot she and her team built Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at Weber Innovations. The all female robotics team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 08-6MaKaiya Nunn works to repair a minor failure on a robot she and her team built Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The all female robotics team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 07-5A robot built by members of an all female robotics team, a first for Weber County, competes against the clock by trying to throw foam jacks and bean bags over a fence during a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 06-4Members of an all female robotics team, a first for Weber County, compete with their robot against the clock during a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 05-3MaKaiya Nunn and Breann Carlin prepare their robot for a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The all female robotics team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 04-2From left, Naomi Elmer, the programer, Madison Wadsworth, the driver, and Breann Carlin, a scout watch as their robot competes against the clock during a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The all female robotics team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner
BN 031417 Robotics Team 03-1From left, Naomi Elmer, the programer, Madison Wadsworth, the driver, and Breann Carlin, a scout watch as their robot competes against the clock during a demonstration Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at Weber Innovations. The all female robotics team from schools in Weber County School District won the design award at the state level and will compete in the world competition in April.BRIAN NICHOLSON/Special to the Standard-Examiner Special to the Standard-Examiner
