SCSDB’s Ninja Hornets middle school robotics team wins top prizes
The South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind’s middle school robotics team won two of the top prizes during the national VEX IQ Competition, which had 18 deaf schools and 33 teams in the competition. The SCSDB’s team is called the Ninja Hornets.
Toby: My name is Toby. I’m in the 7th grade.
Carter: I’m Carter Bryant. I’m in the 6th grade.
Malakhi: Hi. My name is Malakhi and I’m in the 7th grade.
Alex: The national competition took place at the Alabama Institute of the Deaf and Blind (AIDB). It is a competition where schools build their own robots and control them to try and push as many plastic discs across a goal line as possible within a time limit.
[Video clip of SCSDB practicing with their robot]
SCSDB won the “Build Award” for building the best robot with it being the most strongest and durable robot.
The SCSDB Ninja Hornets also won the “Teamwork Award,” which is a competition where teams are paired up with another team and they have to work together to try and defeat another pair of teams. SCSDB teamed up with the Maryland School for the Deaf’s middle school team, which is called the “Oriobots,” and they won the “Teamwork Award.”
[Video clip from VEX IQ Competition] Credit: YouTube / NRSC STEM
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Alex: The MSD Oriobots won the “Think Award,” which recognized their outstanding programming skills.
The SCSDB team and coaches said the competition was a great experience that tested their mental skills, teamwork skills, and it allowed them to meet many other students from all over the U.S.
Toby: The skills we had to use included teamwork, communication, building, and problem-solving. We also had to use some engineering and math skills. Also driving skills and coding skills.
Carter: I like working with robots. It’s a lot of fun. It’s enjoyable.
Toby: Yes, it is very enjoyable!
Malakhi: We get to meet new friends.
SCSDB and MSD will be traveling to Dallas to compete in the World Championship at the end of April. The American School for the Deaf (ASD) will also be attending because they won the “Excellence Award.” They will be playing against hearing school programs.
Good luck to the SCSDB Ninja Hornets and also to the MSD and ASD teams!