Long Neck Elementary, Millsboro Middle robotics teams triumph
Long Neck Elementary and Millsboro Middle robotics teams rolled over their competition in the VEX IQ Delmarva Regional Championship in February, netting awards and qualifying for the world contest.
The Long Neck Elementary ECJLK Robos team comprising Landon Bosley, Kathleen Marquin-Escalante, Charlie Albitz, Eddie Schultze and Jaxon Ruby won the Excellence Award and the Teamwork Champion Award. The team is coached by teachers Mindi Schultze and Samantha Haas.
The Millsboro Middle Gear Heads team comprising Lydia Brown, Chase Mayer, Dylan Karr, Rowan Brown and Raul Hernandez-Barrios won the Excellence Award and the Judges Award, and earned second place for the Teamwork Award. The team is coached by teachers Taylor Howard and Sarah Betlejewski.
The two Indian River School District teams will meet in Dallas, Texas, in May to compete in the VEX World Championship against the top VEX IQ Robotics Competition, VEX Robotics Competition and VEX U teams from around the globe. Both teams said they are using feedback from regional judges to improve their robots.
The competition is played on a 6-by-8-foot rectangular field. Two robots compete in the Teamwork Challenge in 60-second matches, working together to score points by placing blocks of different sizes and colors in goals. Students can also attempt to park their robots in the supply zone for additional points.
Teams also compete in the Robot Skills Challenge, Driving Skills Matches and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches.
Schultze said Long Neck Elementary students start working with robots in the fourth grade to gain a year of experience before competing in events as fifth-graders. Students said they developed two different robots before finalizing their design after researching ideas on YouTube.
The team members attribute their success to a lucky peg. In addition to meeting other children from around the world, the Long Neck Elementary students are excited to fly on a plane for the first time. Schultze said it’s gratifying to see a group of kids who didn’t even know each other before robotics become close friends.
The team will hold a dine-in or to-go donation night from 3 to 9 p.m., Thursday, April 18, at Texas Roadhouse in Millsboro. The restaurant will donate 10% of food purchases to team ECJLK Robos. A flyer is needed to present to wait staff; contact Schultze at mindi.schultze@IRSD.k12.de.us to request one. Business sponsors are also needed.
The Millsboro Middle Gear Heads are returning to the world competition. Teammates said they were especially excited to win the Judges Award for their sportsmanship, which they displayed by shaking hands with competitors before and after each match, and providing gifts to thank those who helped them.
At last year’s world contest, 840 teams from 33 countries participated, Howard said. This year, the field has been cut to a more competitive 420 teams, he said, but Team Gear Heads has a year of experience under its belt.
Students said they immediately began working on this year’s robot when they returned from last year’s competition. What makes it fun, they said, is that robotics is a team effort in which all kids play a part and contribute.
Team Gear Heads is also fundraising for the trip. Individuals and businesses can contact Howard at taylor.howard@irsd.k12.de.us or 302-934-3200 for a donation form. The team is also selling chances for a gift card bouquet raffle with $800 worth of gift cards. Chances are $20 each or three for $25; Venmo Emily Betlejewski @Millsboro-robotics24.
Former and current H.O. Brittingham Elementary robotics students also participated in the regional championship. The team comprising Katie Nauman, Emma Emerson and Isabella Iarussi won first place in the Finals Alliance Teamwork Challenge and received the Judges Award.
Team members Avery Harp, Mason Fountain and Amelia Kennedy won second place in the Finals Alliance Teamwork Challenge. Students Max Yuan, Fernando Rivera-Herrera and Cameron Kennedy qualified for the regional competition for the first time and had the longest-running score to beat in the finals.
