BMAC LEGO League competitors grow in robotics skills

Winning may not always be the case when competing in an event. However, in most cases, losing equates to learning. For a group of B. McDaniel Intermediate students this is very much the truth. On Saturday, the BMAC LEGO League robotics teams headed off to the regional competition at Adamson High School in Dallas with their projects.

While neither of the teams advanced to the championship, faculty sponsors Elena Kinghorn and Kimberly Blaquiere, who won say these students have done a great job and learned much in the process.

During the competition, the Denison High School Robotics team showed up to cheer for the BMAC LEGO teams. Spectator and Denison ISD Board of Trustees vice-president Becky Russell asked them if they were our DHS cheerleaders and they said “No!’ We are the DHS Robotics team here to cheer!”

“This is one of the neatest support stories I’ve ever witnessed. We are so proud of all of our robotics scholars,” said Denison ISD Curriculum director Shonda Cannon, who attended the event.

BMAC had two LEGO teams, the “Brainiacs” and the “Super Beez”, made up of 5th and 6th graders. For 6th graders this was second year in robotics and they have done a wonderful job leading their teams. In addition to the robot game, both teams had to do an innovation project for the competition.

The “Brainiacs” project utilized technology, art, and music skills to make a vacuum powered trash can that looks like a Yellow Jacket. The trashcan is activated by motion sensor. When someone approaches to put the trash into the trashcan, the motion sensor activates the pump and the trash is sucked out of the person’s hand. They also used their musical talents to code the “Fight Song” and have it play every time the vacuum activates.

The “Super Beez” project developed an idea of having paint containers that open automatically. They applied their coding skills to employ a color sensor. When a color card is placed in front of the color sensor, the matching color container opens up for easy access to the paint. When the card is removed the container closes on its own. The prototype for this project is constructed completely out of LEGOs.

Congratulations to BMAC LEGO League competitors Christopher Barrett, Everett Courtright, Evyn Eleby, Aiden Evans, Stella Gronemeier, Stephanie Guerrero, Elizabeth Haddock, Luke Hall, Liam Heisterkamp, Aisha Luna-Hidalgo, Camilla Pilcher, Juliette Pizano, Sawyer Russell, Katlyn Turner, and Alicja Weller.