Calvert’s Robotics Team is Going to State Championships

According to firstinspires.org (2020), FLL is the “most accessible, guided, global robotics competition, helping students and teachers to build a better future together.” This challenge is designed around a theme that motivates students to take a methodical approach to problem-solving, coding, research, and engineering.  

 

Led by Middle School Science Teacher Eric Cowell, Calvert’s Robotics Team made its way to Catonsville High School for a nine-hour competition. The theme this year was “City Shaper” and students were asked to explore their city and find innovative ways to help maximize growth and effective change. Mr. Cowell shared, “You do not need to have a science background to get involved in robotics. All you need is collaboration and creative thinking.”

 

The foundation of the program is judged based on the following four categories:

 

·         Core Values

·         Research Project 

·         Robot Program and Design 

·         Robot Games

 

The students that participated in the competition chose topics that were impactful to their community. Calvert’s Seventh Graders researched the vacant homes in Baltimore City and determined how to grow healthy food in food deserts. Ten of our Fifth and Sixth Graders who participated chose a topic on sanitary sewer overflow in Baltimore City.

 

Our students did exceptionally well in all four categories which made them qualify for the State Championships. All four of our Seventh Graders who participated were awarded second place for Core Values; and because we demonstrated the most innovative solution for a city, Calvert was nominated the Global Innovation Award. This was an impressive win for Calvert as there were 24 teams competing from across the area.

 

Thank you to Mr. Buck and Mr. Ali for coming out to support the robotics team.

We look forward to the State Championships next month as we make our way to University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)!