photo by: Joselyn King
Wheeling Park Higher College senior Ethan Matz shows the Iron Patriots MK 1 robot that lately won his group the state championship in expertise.
WHEELING – Ohio County Schools robotics teams bested most all in West Virginia at the state robotics championships this month, and now they appear to take on the globe.
There are 40 Ohio County students on their way to the Vex Robotics Globe Championship April 25-27 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Arena in Dallas.
One particular of the students is Wheeling Park Higher College senior Azariah Bayes, the “driver” for the Iron Patriots MK four robot that took the general state championship in West Virginia.
West Virginia was allocated spots for 14 teams in the globe championship, and Ohio County Schools took nine of them – 3 for WPHS, 4 from Bridge Street Middle College and two from Triadelphia Middle College .
photo by: Joselyn King
Wheeling Park Higher College senior Azariah Bayes demonstrates the Iron Patriots MK four robot that lately won his group the general state championship and a location in the globe finals in Dallas.
Bayes mentioned possessing the finest and most effective robot in the competitors is not normally what brings household a win for its group. The robots are constructed and coded to do factors as shoot as a lot of discs as they can into a net as it can in a 45-second period.
“I wouldn’t say it is the robot that is much better — I practice a lot,” Bayes mentioned. “I can outdrive all our opponents, and I can outshoot all our opponents.
“Our robot is above typical, but once more I wouldn’t say it is the robot. It is about drive practice with my drive group, and time management on the field.”
He took more than as the robot’s driver right after the start out of the season, but such as class time he estimates he practices driving the robot about 3 hours every day.
He mentioned there will be some modifications produced to the robot ahead of the globe championships, and that as an alternative of shooting 4 discs at a time it will be capable to shoot six – enabling the group the chance to score additional points throughout the allotted time period.
Bayes hopes to pursue a profession in engineering although in college, and is searching into the possibility of attending Purdue University or the on line Southern New Hampshire University.
WPHS senior Ethan Matz and his group, Iron Patriots MK 1, also certified for the globe championships although winning the expertise championship for West Virginia.
He knows what sets his team’s robot apart from the other individuals.
“It’s quick – more quickly than the other ones,” he mentioned. “It’s almost certainly the quickest 1 in the state, and it almost certainly shoots the quickest, as nicely.”
Matz mentioned he produced some adjustments in the robot’s motors throughout the season to boost its speed.
Bridge Street Middle College eighth graders Mya White and Emma McNickle are excited to be heading to Dallas. Their Steels Devil III group was the state tournament champion amongst the middle college competitors.
They added they have been searching forward to meeting new folks from about the globe, and getting capable to increase upon their coding expertise.
JoJo Shay, innovation coordinator for Ohio County Schools, has about a month to coordinate the logistics of receiving the 40 students and nine teams with their coaches and chaperones to Dallas.
That is double the quantity of robotics students who traveled to Dallas final year for the globe championships, she mentioned. It was their very first year of competing, and Ohio County Schools sent 4 teams.
“This year we certified nine teams, and that is a testament to their passion for robotics, and their level of competitors and their want to get to the subsequent level,” she mentioned. “This year we have a lot additional little ones.”
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