GFMS Robotics Team competes during their alliance activity
In their first year of entering competitions, the Glens Falls Middle School Robotics Team secured high honors at the VEX IQ Competition Slapshot.
The team took home the Judges’ Award, which is given to teams that the judges felt were deserving of special recognition. Criteria for the award includes items such as a team displaying special attributes, exemplary effort, or perseverance, overcoming an obstacle or challenge while achieving a goal or special accomplishment, and demonstrating effective communication skills, teamwork, professionalism, and a student-centered ethos during the interview process.
Eight GFMS fifth and sixth grade students are currently on the team, which is coached by Fifth Grade Teacher Kelsey Crosby and assisted by GFSD Instructional Technology Specialist Carole Geruso. Students were tasked with constructing three robotic towers capable of releasing 2.5-inch discs into designated scoring zones. The teams that created robots capable of scoring as many as the 45 discs as possible in 60 seconds were declared the winners.
“It was really cool to watch them in action,” said Geruso. “Their persistence was super, and they all had smiles on their faces during the competition.”
11 teams from schools across the region participated in this year’s competition, which was open to students between grades four and eight. The students participating for Glens Falls were:
Saij Velez
Mason Combs
Reed Braymer
Kaden Schaffer
Addison Deeb
Jaiden Higley
Henry McPhee
Maddelyn Ash
“Each had a crucial role in building,” said Crosby. “Henry McPhee and Mason Combs were our key programmers.”
The competition season for the robotics team continues the weekend of March 11 as the team travels to Syracuse to participate in the State Championship convention. Good luck to all our engineers!