Sixteen Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) VEX IQ robotics teams participated in the Jan. 24 Southern Maryland VEX IQ Tournament at College of Southern Maryland in La Plata.
Four CCPS teams, Team 31890A, Team 31890B and Team 31890C of the RoboHuskies from Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School, and Team 67840A of Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, will advance to the state competition at South Hagerstown High School in Hagerstown on Feb. 28. Stoddert’s Team 67840A and Higdon’s Team 31890C qualified for the state competition as one of the highest ranked teams in the state in the area of robot skills.
Team 31890C of the RoboHuskies from Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School is made up of fourth graders Toryn Berger, Jaxon Drake, Rose Terlecki; and fifth-grade students Elizabeth Bowling-Cook, David Kelley, and Samuel Zacarias.
Five CCPS teams were honored as awardees:
Team 31890B, the RoboHuskies of Dr. Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School, were named the Tournament Champions. The Tournament Champion Award is presented to the team with the highest ranked score in the robot matches. Team members include fourth graders Elizabeth Bridgewater, Dakota Wagner and Drake Welch; and fifth graders Logan Cave and Garrett Hales.
Team 31890A, also the RoboHuskies from Higdon, won the Design Award. The Design Award recognizes the team with the most effective and efficient robot design, indicated through the engineering design notebook. Team members include fourth graders Caleb Buzby, Jazmyne La Point, Anna Riffle and Luke Tarleton, and fifth graders Grayson Owens and Jack Wheeler.
The Higdon VEX IQ teams are coached by Jacob Gerding, a media specialist at Higdon Elementary, and Darrell T. Bramer, a community volunteer.
Team 59351B, the Green Eagles from William A. Diggs Elementary School, won the Judges Award. The Judges Award is presented to a team for exemplary effort and perseverance at the event. Team members include third graders Parker Akai and Gabriel Alcones; fourth graders Bryan Chapman and Juan Lopez; and fifth graders Cameron Charles and Emmanuel Young. The team is coached by Khammari Hemsley, an instructional assistant (IA) at Diggs.
Team 9041A, the Wade Wildcats at Wade, won the Inspire Award. The Inspire Award is presented to the team that has inspired judges with its passion, integrity and goodwill toward other teams, coaches and spectators. The Inspire awardee often overcomes a unique obstacle or challenge and achieves a goal or special accomplishment at the event. Team members include Aleiyah Armstrong, a third grader; and fifth graders Isabella Pacheco, Rachael Genson, Zahran Sheikh, Willa Watney and Nell Martin. The team is coached by Christina Day, a science teacher at Wade.
Team 67840A, the Robot Masters of Stoddert, won the Build Award. The Build Award goes to the team with a strong, well-crafted robot. Team members include eighth graders Oluwanjoba Grace Niranoluwa, Adrian Loza, Toni Cannon and Kristiana Bulos. The team is coached by Hector Telford, a science teacher at Stoddert.
VEX IQ is a rigorous and competitive robotics program for elementary and middle school students. CCPS students participated in the Rapid Relay challenge played on a six-inch by eight-inch rectangular field. Two robots compete in the teamwork challenge as an alliance in 60-second-long teamwork matches, working collaboratively to score points.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,904 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 39 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Dr. Mike Blanchard, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).