[May 18, 2013] Robofest lets kids learn tech, have fun Tweet HICKORY, N.C., May 18, 2013 (Hickory Daily Record - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The Shuford Gym at Lenoir-Rhyne University was overtaken by robots on Saturday for the Western Carolina Robofest competition. "It helps the kids learn teamwork and it also helps the kids build skills in mathematics, engineering and technology," said Karin Whisnant, a special education teacher at Glen Alpine Elementary School in Morganton. The competition was sponsored by CyberKids Robotics, a non-profit education company that works to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. The organization sends trainers to participating schools to teach students how to build a robot and program it to complete tasks. CyberKids provides the schools with the necessary equipment. The 39 teams that competed on Saturday have been working on their robots since August. Fourth through eighth grade students from Catawba, Burke, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Gaston and Cleveland counties participated in the competition. A bit smaller than a shoebox, the Lego robots were modified by each team. The competition consisted of placing a robot on a table with several different "missions" on it. Missions included pushing together pieces of a Lego quilt, retrieving a Lego chair and maneuvering the robots to the top of a raised platform. Each team was given two and a half minutes to complete as many missions as possible and was awarded points for the missions they accomplished. The robots were not controlled remotely, but instead moved across the table based on programming the students had previously downloaded onto them from computers. Once a robot was released from the "base" in the corner of the table, the students saw how well they had programmed their robot to complete the missions. This year's competition focused on senior living. "The whole theme is to find out how robotics and technology can improve the lives of senior citizens," said Bill Kent, vice president of CyberKids Robotics. In addition to the robotics competition, students completed a separate project to develop ways to improve the lives to seniors with technology. Aylin Chacorr, a fifth grader at Thornton Elementary School in Newton, explained that her team, The Cyber Geeks, developed an idea for a techno-cane. They put on a skit that showed how the cane, which featured high-tech components including a phone and GPS, could help a senior citizen in an emergency. Jesse Murray, a fourth grade student at Thornton, said that actually building the robot was his favorite part of the competition. "I just like messing with Legos," he said. Ashley Arndt teaches fourth grade at Thornton and supervised the school's team. "It's teaching them 21st century skills," she said of the competition. "That's what they need to be successful in society nowadays." Arndt said some of her students will end up working extensively with computers, technology and engineering in their careers. The competition, she said, not only teaches students skills in those fields, but also how to work as part of a team in a fun environment. ___ (c)2013 the Hickory Daily Record (Hickory, N.C.) Visit the Hickory Daily Record (Hickory, N.C.) at www.hickoryrecord.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]