Wallace State hosts robotics tournaments

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Wallace State Computer Science Chair Terry Ayers, center, provides commentary during the VEX IQ robotics competition held at the college Saturday, Jan. 28.

HANCEVILLE, Ala. –  Wallace State Community College welcomed more than 40 teams to campus this past weekend for VEX IQ robotics competitions for elementary and middle school students.   

Competitions were held in the Wellness Center practice gym, with hundreds of participants and spectators.   

Hundreds of competitors and supporters filled the practice gym in the Wellness Center at Wallace State Community College during VEX IQ robotics competition held at the college Saturday, Jan. 28.

“For the students, they learn so much more than how to snap a part together,” said Terry Ayers, chair of the Wallace State Computer Science program and sponsor of the WSCC STEM Club, which sponsored the event. “They learn teamwork skills, personal, communication skills, collaborative skills and a lot of conflict resolution. Because a lot of kids will have different idea about how to build a robot and if the other students disagree with how the robot’s built, it gives them an opportunity to work through those differences of opinion so that ultimately, they will come together as a team and be able to compete more effectively.”  

VEX IQ is a snap-together robotics system designed to provide opportunities to students in elementary and early middle school. The VEX IQ competition allows students to build and program robots, encouraging teamwork, problem solving and leadership as teams construct and operate their robots.  

The course for the VEX IQ robotics competition included several steps for each robot to complete to earn point. Wallace State Community College’s STEM Club hosted the competition Saturday, Jan. 28 for elementary and middle school students. Another competition will be held Feb. 4 for late middle school and high school students.

In addition to the game competition, teams are judged on items like team interview, robot design, programming and engineering notebook as part of their overall scores.  

Teams advancing to the state competitions to be held the week of Feb. 18 at Auburn University include:  

  • Excellence Award – Mountain Brook Junior High School (The Nutria Rats)  
  • Excellence Award – New Bethel Elementary School (EagleBots)  
  • Teamwork Champion Award – Mountain Brook Junior High (MB-FLOUV)  
  • Teamwork Champion Award – Mountain Brook Junior High (The Nutria Rats)  
  • Design Award – Bankhead Middle School (Blue Devil Divas)  

Other awards were presented to:  

  • Teamwork Second Place Award – Etowah Middle School (Etowah Outlaws)  
  • Teamwork Second Place Award- Etowah Middle School (Big Blue)  
  • Robot Skills Champion – Mountain Brook Junior High (MB-FLOUV)  
  • Judges Award – Kilby Laboratory School (Linking Lions #6)  

Vex VRC competitions are scheduled for Feb. 4 at Wallace State for late middle school and high school teams, with 43 teams registered. Winners also advance to the state competitions to be held at Auburn University.   

For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu or call 256-352-8000.  

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