First Official TUSD Robotics Competitions

Pioneer Team won first official TUSD Robotics competition.

On January 15, 2015, we had our very first, official competition at Pioneer Middle School. We had an outstanding showing of support from administrators, parents, and teachers as our twelve teams battled for the winning title of this inaugural event. The home team won this first competition and were featured in the OC Register and other local articles. The energy at the competition was electric and all  who walked in were amazed with the excitement and engagement of our 87 students.




Lesson #1: Reach Out for Help
The first lesson learned is that I can not do this alone. Students at the home site help me set up the room with a table for each team and the game field. The district Tech Coordinator, Mr. Kerr, helps to set up the projector and Apple TV to stream the event using the video camera on an iPad. We have found that it is best to project the game onto a screen since it can become difficult to see what is happening on the field. A teacher from Foothill High School, Mr. Farr, helps me referee, inspect the robots, and provide feedback to each team about how to better meet criteria and constraints. We also have a high school student who provides last minute support with programming and troubleshooting during the first hour and helps us referee during the competition. And of course, the Tustin Public Schools Foundation provides the financial support to help purchase t-shirts, busses to get all of our students to the competition, and the summer program that kick starts the season for every school site. It is my goal to better recognize the efforts of all who are involved in the opening ceremony. I am very grateful for the support from the people of TUSD and TPSF.

Lesson #2: Explain the Rules
The VEX game "Skyrise" has complicated rules to explain the scoring of points. I used this presentation to help explain the rules to the audience and to clarify the rules to the teams. It was not until an outside competition at Lutheran High School of Orange County that we fully understood every aspect of the scoring system. Attending these types of competitions are vital to understanding the VEX way of doing things.

Lesson #3: Introduce the Coaches and Teams

TEAM B from Columbus Tustin surprised me
the most on their growth and progress.

It is important to recognize each individual team and coach since they all work so hard to prepare for every competition. The robotics season is long, July to March, and the coaches especially can become overwhelmed with the time commitment. At the start of each competition, we introduce every team and a spokesperson explains the changes and innovations they have made to their robot since their last competition. The coaches are also individually introduced and students cheer their teachers who have sacrificed time and energy to provide this opportunity for their students. We could not do this without the coaches!

Former Pioneer champions congratulating the
Orchard Hills Team on their victory after an intense final match!

On February 10, 2015, we had our second, in-district competition and the growth of each team was unbelievable. One of the Orchard Hills teams won this competition and every team has renewed confidence and determination that they too can win the next one. Students and coaches are so excited that one coach has asked if we can extend the season until April! However, I need to make sure that everybody has a break and that we have a defined season length. But, this is a good sign that we are really building something exciting that will impact and influence these students long after they leave middle school.