CLP robotics team will compete at state

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

Pirates 1, the eighth-grade team of robotics enthusiasts at Cache La Poudre Middle School, will compete with like-minded students on Dec. 12 in a statewide challenge of solving problems, working as a team and programming robots.

Coached by technology education and engineering concepts teacher Bob Steketee, the Pirates found their inspiration for a research problem called "Transforming Transportation" in the speeding drivers on County Road 54G in front of the CLP schools.

Using a radar gun, they documented that 33 percent of drivers go faster than the speed limit of 20 miles per hour when yellow school zone lights are flashing. They even clocked one driver at 40 mph. Their challenge was to think of a novel solution and demonstrate how it might work.

The Pirates decided that an automatic speed bump, which rises as the yellow lights start flashing, could slow down traffic, and they built a tabletop model to prove it. Team members are Abby Jordan, Nathan Steketee, Connor Wilkinson, Chris Lee, Colton Brown and Caitlin Gaudet.

"In real life, we think it might have a hydraulic system," Abby said.

Their model of wood and metal, powered by two syringes, competed with other problems and solutions at the Poudre Qualifier Tournament on Nov. 14 and won them the award for Innovative Project Solution. That award and points tallied in the other categories earned the team an invitation to the state competition.

All teams had to program a robot to perform specified tasks. The Pirates used an XT model truck with three motors and rear-wheel drive. The CLP students said it did not work as well as they had hoped, but they did pretty well in the teamwork category.

This year's team of six had four members from last year when their research project delved into pine beetles and climate change.

Nathan, who has worked on robotics teams since third grade, said that this year he learned how to meet a deadline and "use crunch time efficiently."

Colton and Chris improved their robot programming skills, and Colton said he learned more about hydraulics.

Abby appreciates what computers are capable of doing. "Now I have a passion for technology," she said.

Connor said he learned more about the dangers of speeding.

Caitlin said she also learned about programming, and she acquired the hands-on skill of drilling holes when making their speed bump.

Robotics coach Steketee entirely credits the students for their accomplishments, saying he encourages them to talk through problems and listen to each other's ideas. "I never do any programming," he said.

Also at the Poudre Qualifier, the Wellington Middle School team earned the trophy for Community Involvement, which is a combination Project and Teamwork award. Team members are Kailee Bosch, Zach Shea, Dylan Jordan, Alisa Petersen and Kevin Houser. Their coaches are Vicky Jordan and Katie Zenisek.