A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAM, COACH, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS FOR AN OUTSTANDING SEASON AND TO CONGRATULATE THEM ON WINNING THE 2023 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE VEX IQ COMPETITION AT THE ALABAMA INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND BLIND.

Whereas, on February 25, 2023, the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB) middle school robotics team, the Ninja Hornets, captured the 2023 national championship for the VEX IQ Competition at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind; and

Whereas, competing in their first-ever national competition, the Ninja Hornets won first place against thirty-three other teams from across the country; and

Whereas, during the entire competition, the team stayed in its first-place ranking against other schools; and

Whereas, VEX IQ is a robot construction system based on plastic snap-together pieces specifically designed to build highly functional robots. In the VEX IQ Competition, teams of students are tasked with designing and building a robot to play with other teams in a game-based engineering challenge; and

Whereas, the SCSDB Ninja Hornets will advance to VEX Worlds 2023 in Dallas later this spring; and

Whereas, in a field that requires ingenuity, precision, and creativity, Coach Jessica Gribble capitalized on her own experience and training to build a championship-caliber-team and teach these students principles that will guide them in real-world problem-solving experiences; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives values the pride and recognition that the Ninja Hornets robotics champions have brought to their school and community, and the members look forward to hearing of their continued achievements in the days ahead. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind middle school robotics team, coach, and school officials for an outstanding season and congratulate them on winning the 2023 national championship for the VEX IQ Competition at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Principal Keith Van Fossen and Coach Jessica Gribble of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind.

----XX----