DMS robotics qualifies three for state

Image
  • DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – 2nd place – Anistynn Birdwell and Maria Lopez.
    DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – 2nd place – Anistynn Birdwell and Maria Lopez.
  • DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – Participants – Arianna Mendoza, Milagros Aguero and Rily Ramos.
    DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – Participants – Arianna Mendoza, Milagros Aguero and Rily Ramos.
  • DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – Participants – Joshua Seaton and Jaime Godinez.
    DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – Participants – Joshua Seaton and Jaime Godinez.
  • DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – 1st place – Baylor Navarro and Luis Curez.
    DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – 1st place – Baylor Navarro and Luis Curez.
  • DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – 3rd place – Kreed Bruton and Henry Ramirez.
    DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – 3rd place – Kreed Bruton and Henry Ramirez.
  • DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – Participants – Daniel Silva and Enrique Holguin.
    DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – Participants – Daniel Silva and Enrique Holguin.
  • DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – Participants – Keenan Hernandez and Alianna Castillo.
    DMS Robotics – TCEA Robotics Regional Contest – Participants – Keenan Hernandez and Alianna Castillo.
Body

Dimmitt Middle School robotics teams competed in the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Regional Contest.

The contest was to build a Whirl-bot that spins or whirls. The name of the game is "Whirl-bots: Motion Commotion."

Three DMS teams took top honors with Baylor Navarro and Luis Curez winning first place; Anistynn Birdwell and Maria Lopez taking second place; and Kreed Bruton and Henry Ramirez claiming third place. The top 3 placers will advance to state.

Other DMS students competing in the contest were Arianna Mendoza, Milagros Aguero, Rily Ramos, Daniel Silva, Enrique Holguin, Joshua Seaton, Jaime Godinez, Keenan Hernandez and Alianna Castillo.

According to Don Bell, who is a mentor and instructor for Dimmitt Robotics, 3- 12, “This competition lets students become creators, videographers and programmers, even in the remote learning environment. Students are encouraged to use the engineering design process as they work through this years’ experience.” .

Student teams entering the competition work through a series of steps that engineers undertake to reach solutions. These steps may be repeated multiple times until the problem is solved and include question, brainstorm, plan, build, test and evaluate, modify (repeat) and share.

TCEA’s robotics contests give students the opportunity to develop STEM skills with hands-on, collaborative projects. Students from elementary (intermediate) and secondary (advanced) schools design, collaborate, plan, redesign, construct, create, assemble, invent, reinvent, write, present, and compete to see who has developed a winning robot.

There are two distinct categories in the TCEA Robotics Contest. The Arena competition is a prescribed problem contest where students program their robot to accomplish a list of specific tasks. The Inventions competition is open-ended; students choose a real-world problem and create a robotic solution. They use marketing, programming, writing, constructing, and presentation skills as part of this competition.

Each year, more than 1,400 teams of up to four students each participate in TCEA Robotics Contests held in each of the 20 areas of the state of Texas. In response to concerns about the potential spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, TCEA cancelled the State Robotics Contest for the 2020-2021 school year and have plans to bring it back in 2021-2022. The location has not been determined but is expected to be in the Austin/surrounding area.