The Waimea High School Remotely Operated Vehicle Underwater Robotics team earned third place Saturday at the MATE Big Island Regional ROV Underwater Robotic Competition at the Hilo High School pool. Additionally, the Menehune ROV Underwater Robotic team captured the Aloha
The Waimea High School Remotely Operated Vehicle Underwater Robotics team earned third place Saturday at the MATE Big Island Regional ROV Underwater Robotic Competition at the Hilo High School pool.
Additionally, the Menehune ROV Underwater Robotic team captured the Aloha Spirit Award, states a release from the Robotics Organizing Committee – Hawai‘i.
Waimea High School, a longtime participant in the annual ROV competition, joined dozens of Hawai‘i elementary, middle and high school students at the Big Island competition, taking its robotic creations to the next level by driving them underwater.
Students and their mentors created remotely operated vehicles driven from a control system above the water’s surface by working in the complex world of submerged electronics.
The recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the important role ROVs played in correcting the problem provided the scenario for this year’s theme, said one parent at Friday night’s Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation volleyball game, noting how impressed she was with the capability of the Waimea team’s ROV when she watched them practice at the Waimea pool.
Additionally, the teams presented a technical document and poster displays for the panel of judges.
Top honors in the Ranger Class Division for high schools went to host Hilo High School and Waiakea High Schools’ alliance followed by Kealakehe and Waimea.
Kealakehe Intermediate topped the Ranger Class Division for Intermediate schools followed by Haili Christian School and Ke Kula o Nawahiokalaniopu‘u Public Charter School.
E.B. DeSilva Elementary School topped the elementary division, or Scout Class, followed by Mt. View Elementary and Earl’s Garage.
Haili Christian School also earned the Rookie of the Year Award, the Hilo/Waiakea High School Alliance was presented the Outside of the Box award, Hilo Intermediate School pocketed the Guts ‘n Glory Award and Kealakehe Intermediate School earned the Engineering Award.
The Underwater ROV is one of six programs supported by the Hawai‘i Robotics Organizing Committee. Other programs include FIRST, FIRST LEGO League, Botball, VEX Robotics and Micro Robotics.
The Hawai‘i Robotics Organizing Committee recognizes the importance of promoting robotics education at an early age and sustaining students’ interest in STEM education throughout their schooling. This resulted in the six robotics program which covers elementary through high school and forms the core of ROC, an organization coordinating efforts to promote robotics education in schools statewide.
Visit www.hawaiiroc.org for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
