BRTC Hosts VEX IQ Camp at Paragould Location

Back row (L to R): Tielur Hinkle, Lillian McAlister, Frankie Knight, Alex Spillman, Boone Foster, Olivia Hendley, and Ella Barnes, and Workforce Program Development Coordinator Patricia Sanderson

Front row (L to R): Sophie Wray, Vada Smith, Zane Dye, Jacob Shepherd, Volunteer Angela Loveless, and Adleigh Faries

Black River Technical College (BRTC) Corporate and Community Education department recently hosted VEX IQ Robotics Camp at its Paragould location.

Twelve students learned how to build the VEX Clawbot, code, and program it. Students competed in individual and team robotics competitions.

Teams of two were created whereby each team would complete the build of a robot called Clawbot.  Then working as a team would configure the sensors and program the robot to complete specific tasks.

The first programming task was to program their robot beginning at one location, drive to a second location, wait, turn around, and then return to their original starting point.  The students were instructed to put in as many changes to their code as possible to use all of their sensors, for light, sound, and speed.

The second programming task was ‘Farmers Field’.  A crop was designed on the floor and the teams had to program their robot to simulate spraying each row of crops.  The crops were planted in rows at varying degrees, so each run along the row of crops had to be changed in the code to account for the degree changes.

For the Team and Individual events, two competition fields were set up.  On each of the fields were three colored rims to stack the same colored cubes.  At the opposing end of the field was a series of two goals.  The students had to stack cubes in the marked areas and pitch balls into the goals to score points.

Working as a team, the teams were given two minutes, switching off at the halfway mark, and using the ‘Clawbot’ they stacked the colored cubes in the marked location.  Each cube stacked was worth 5 points.  If they stacked  the cubes in the same color location, they were awarded 5 additional points.  For the goals. using the claw, they had to pick up each ball and pitch in the goal area. The closest goal was worth 3 points and the furthest goal was worth 5 points.

Working individually, they were given two minutes to stack the cubes and pitch them into the goals.

Winners of the team event were Team Spaghetti Bot, made up of Alex Spillman and Boone Foster, 1^st with a total score of 85; Team A9E9, made up of Ella Barnes and Adleigh Faries, 2^nd with a total score of 70; Team Zacob, made up of Zane Dye and Jacob Shepherd; 3^rd with a total score of 61.

Winners of the programming team event were Team Gravinator, made up of Lillian McAlister and Tielur Hinkle, 1^st place; Team A9E9 and Team Spaghetti Bot, tied for 2^nd place.

Winners of the individual competition were Boone Foster, 1^st with a total score of 73; Tielur Hinkle, 2^nd with a score of 70; Adleigh Faries and Alex Spillman, tied for 3^rd with a score of 65; Jacob Shepherd, 4^th with a score of 61; Sophie Wray, 5^th with a total score of 53; Olivia Hendley, 6^th with a score of 45.

For more information about the BRTC Corporate and Community Education Department, contact Workforce Program Development Coordinator Patricia Sanderson at (870) 248-5220 or by email at patricia.sanderson@blackrivertech.edu.

Lillian McAlister and Tielur Hinkle

Tielur Hinkle, Jacob Shepherd, Zane Dye, Alex Spillman, Sophie Wray, and Vada Smith

Back row (L to R): Boone Foster, Adleigh Faries, Tielur Hinkle, and Ella Barnes

Front Row (L to R): Jacob Shepherd, Zane Dye, Sophie Wray, and Alex Spillman