Bill Text: SC H4373 | 2019-2020 | 123rd General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Rohming Robots
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-04-03 - Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence [H4373 Detail]
Download: South_Carolina-2019-H4373-Introduced.html
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
TO RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE THE ROHMING ROBOTS FOR WINNING THE INSPIRE AWARD AT THE SOUTH CAROLINA FIRST TECH CHALLENGE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE 2018-2019 FIRST ROBOTICS SEASON AND FOR ADVANCING TO THE FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP.
Whereas, the Clemson Extension 4-H Youth Development's FIRST Tech Challenge team, Rohming Robots, won the South Carolina FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship, giving these students a berth at the FIRST Tech Challenge World Festival for the FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas, in April 2019; and
Whereas, the mission of the Rohming Robots is to encourage students to learn new skills and grow in their understanding of science and technology. The members of Rohming Robots are committed to doing their best, refusing to give up, and learning from their mistakes, their mentors, and each other; and
Whereas, the Rohming Robots' vision is to use their accomplishments to inspire teens and the community to resist the fear of failing by trying new endeavors; and
Whereas, the Rohming Robots' team is composed of Will Becker, Jacob Blauch, Nick Emlaw, Rachel Emlaw, Justus Faidley, Ethan Lazarin, Ben Siegal, Braden Siegal, Andrew Smoak, Gray Stewart, and Samantha Strutz and is coached by Linda Stewart and Andrew Blauch; and
Whereas, FIRST Tech Challenge is a student-centered program that focuses on giving students a unique and stimulating experience. Each year, teams engage in a new game where they design, build, test, and program autonomous and driver-operated robots that must perform a series of tasks; and
Whereas, the 2018-2019 FIRST Tech Challenge theme is "Rover Ruckus" and tests teams to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge using an alliance format, and the teams must be judged the best overall in order to advance; and
Whereas, team members on Rohming Robots designed, built, and programmed a robot to complete missions autonomously, such as landing on the playing field, sampling minerals, claiming their depot, and parking in a crater. During the driver-controlled portion of a match, teams score points by sorting and placing as many minerals as possible in their alliance's cargo hold or depot. During the last thirty seconds, known as the "End Game," teams can gain points by parking in a crater or gain more points if their robot can successfully latch on to the lander and lift itself off the playing field; and
Whereas, team members on Rohming Robots created a detailed engineering notebook logging meetings, outreach, design ideas, and documenting the engineering process throughout the season. They presented their robot and engineering notebook to judges in order to qualify for awards. Rohming Robots won the first place Inspire Award, which is the highest FTC honor and advances the team to the World Championship; and
Whereas, South Carolina Robotics Education Foundation conducted twelve regional competitions, two league tournaments, and one state championship; and
Whereas, South Carolina Robotics Education Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in South Carolina; and
Whereas, the overall goal of South Carolina Robotics Education Foundation is to stimulate students' interest and capabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields, thereby increasing the pool of talented and skilled students who pursue careers in these areas; and
Whereas, South Carolina Robotics Education Foundation is the affiliate partner for FIRST Tech Challenge in South Carolina; and
Whereas, FIRST, which is an acronym for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology", is a national nonprofit organization that provides STEM opportunities for young people ages six to eighteen in the United States and internationally, impacting more than six hundred and fifteen thousand young people around the world each year; and
Whereas, future engineers and inventors from ages six to eight are in teams called FLL Jr. (FIRST LEGO League Jr.), and youth from ages nine to fourteen are FLL, while older students choose between FIRST Tech Challenge for seventh through twelfth graders and FIRST Robotics Competition for ninth through twelfth graders; and
Whereas, there are over seven thousand ten FIRST Tech Challenge teams around the world and forty-two teams in the State of South Carolina; and
Whereas, ten years of evaluation data document that FIRST participants show a significantly higher statistical interest in STEM fields, increased involvement in STEM-related activities, greater STEM identity, higher levels of STEM knowledge, and greater interest in STEM careers than students who do not participate, and the impact is even greater for female students; and
Whereas, FIRST participants are more motivated to do well in school, more likely to take a challenging math or science course, and show improved problem solving, time management, conflict resolution, and communication skills; and
Whereas, FIRST alumni express a greater interest in going to college and are twice as likely to major in science or engineering as other students; and
Whereas, a FIRST competition is as close to real-world engineering as a student can get, combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology, the ultimate "Sport for the Mind," with participants calling it "the hardest fun you'll ever have"; and
Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly values the significant impact that FIRST has made, as well as the pride and recognition that the members of Rohming Robots have brought to the 4-H and the Charleston community, and the members wish them success at the FIRST Championship in Houston, Texas. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize and congratulate the Rohming Robots for winning the Inspire Award at the South Carolina FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship for the 2018-2019 FIRST Robotics season and for advancing to the FIRST Championship.
