Robot programming competition fosters fun, learning, and spirit of cooperation

It looked like Acadia University’s War Memorial Gym in Wolfville was the subject of some sort of futuristic invasion as more than 200 elementary, middle school and high school students making up 30 teams competed in the 2007 Acadia Robot Programming Competition on Saturday, Nov. 24. Northeast Kings Education Centre in Canning had both a middle school and high school team competing. The high school team, made up of Grade 12 students Lloyd Parker and Sarah Hiseler, Grade 11 student Michael Deveau and Grade 9 student Joshua Lohnes, competed in the third Acadia High School Robotic Competition. They built and programmed a robot that competed in timed events including line tracking, maze navigation and object removal. They also had a larger robot on display that won the Most Innovative Design Award at the recent Robot East Competition. The robot utilizes a locking mechanism from a tractor hood and a scissor paw design to grasp objects, lift and release them. The middle school team, made up of Grade 7 students Kylah Lohnes, Nathan Best, Jordan Ward, Navarre Hebb and Dylan Parker and Grade 6 students Noah Lohnes and Becky Ansems, competed in the second annual First Lego League Power Puzzle Challenge. They built and programmed a robot that had to complete as many of 14 tasks in a three-minute period as possible. All competing teams were given the same kit to work with. Reporter Kirk Starratt was on hand and files the following video package…