Oneonta Middle School Robotics

On May 1, 2018 we visited Oneonta Middle School teacher John Fallin, his robotics team and Rep. David Standridge! In 2017, the school received a grant for robotics equipment and students built a robot for the 2017 BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology)competition at Wallace State. The robot (pictured) was built by the students for the competition and had to be made of wood and not metal. The robotics kit was purchased through a Cawaco educational grant.
During the “Crossfire” competition, the schools were asked to submit a robot prototype to be evaluated alongside other prototypes in a state-of-the-art Industrial Fire Simulator. The robots were not able to touch the fire directly – in order to extinguish it, they needed to launch simulated water from a distance. The highest priority was rescuing a test manikin from inside. Just like in a real rescue, every second counted; robots received more points if they completed the rescue in less time. Points were given for rescuing the manikin, containing the chemical drums and extinguishing the flames. Due to the grant from Cawaco, the students were able to complete the robot and compete with more advanced schools from Alabama. They placed 10th in the competition and had a great time. This project will continue in upcoming years and the class plans to compete in the 2018 BEST competition. As always, we appreciate the legislators who take time to know the needs in their communities and help us locate projects.