2/2/10

In schools throughout Baltimore County, students build robots as a way to put their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills and knowledge to work. On December 5, approximately 220 students tested their knowledge and skills against each other at the Second Annual VEX Robotics Challenge.

Held at Sollers Point Technical High School, the competition involved 44 student teams, representing 16 Baltimore County Public Schools high schools and two BCPS middle schools. The event gave students the opportunity to represent their schools as they worked in teams to design, assemble, and program robots to perform specified tasks in a competitive environment. Fifty teachers served as mentors. 

The event culminated in an awards ceremony with H. Edward Parker, vice president of the Baltimore County Board of Education, and Leila Walker, coordinator of the BCPS Office of Career and Technology Education, presiding.   

Challenge sponsors included the BCPS Office of Technology Education, Sollers Point Technical High School, Dulaney High School’s FIRST Robotics Team (Rex 1727), the Technology & Innovation in Manufacturing & Engineering Center, and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. 

The following awards were presented at the end of the day:

Community Award -- Sollers Point Tech      
Amaze Award -- Perry Hall High, Team 960A           
Build Award -- Kenwood High, Team 1392
Create Award -- Chesapeake High, Team 944A         
Energy Award -- Hereford Middle, Team1406B        
Excellence Award -- Perry Hall High, Team 960A     
Innovate Award -- Perry Hall High, Team 960B        
Judges’ Award -- Loch Raven High, Team 959          
Judges’ Award -- Ridgely Middle, Team 952C          
Sportsmanship Award -- Sollers Point Tech, Team 954A     
Robot Skills Champion -- Hereford High, Team 929A         
Programming Skills Champion -- Perry Hall High, Team 960A        
Tournament Finalist -- Hereford High, Team 929A    
Tournament Finalist -- Hereford High, Team 929B    
Tournament Finalist -- Parkville High, Team 1402B   
Tournament Champion -- Perry Hall High, Team 960A        
Tournament Champion -- Woodlawn High, Team 768         
Tournament Champion -- Parkville High, Team 1402A

Participating Schools
Catonsville High School                    
Chesapeake High School                     
Dulaney High School 
George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology         
Hereford High School                       
Hereford Middle School        
Kenwood High School          
Lansdowne High School       
Loch Raven High School       
Owings Mills High School       
Parkville High School
Perry Hall High School
Pikesville High School
Ridgely Middle School                 
Sollers Point Tech School      
Sparrows Point High School
Towson High School
Woodlawn High School