Tuesday, February 9, 2021
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Serving Elkhart County and parts of Noble, LaGrange & Marshall Counties Know Your Neighbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2➤ Speak Outs . . . . . . . . . . .6 & 7 Good Neighbor. . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Valentine’s Day . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Vol. 48 No. 44
Goshen (574) 534-2591
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… 52%27 ³ Drivers for the Woodview Eaglebots blue team, Brody Freeland and Braden Wuthrich, guide their robot during a recent league night competition in Nappanee. Fourth-grade teacher and assistant robotics coach Andy Hostetter serves as the emcee at the events, providing valuable information and witty commentary throughout the event.
Wa-Nee
ROBOTICS
program forges ahead despite disappointments 7H[W DQG 3KRWRV %\ .(,7+ .1(33 6WDII :ULWHU
“We were excited to have the chance to go someplace different for worlds,” said Simons, who not only remains the coach of the two Woodview teams but also is in his second year as director of robotics for the school corporation. “We have a lot of disappointed As with seemingly everything else, the pankids. My fifth graders pointed out that they will nevdemic has taken its toll on the structure of youth er have the opportunity to go to worlds as Eaglebots.” robotics programs across the state. The changes in Many schools across the state opted to cancel schedule haven’t, however, slowed down the growth their robotics programs this year. Additionally, beand progress of the program in Wa-Nee Community cause of health concerns many of the normal compeSchools. titions that take place have not materialized, leavThe program has come a long way from its ing fewer opportunities to compete. For the second beginnings at Woodview Elementary School, when $ &$6( 2) +$5':$5( ³ Woodview Elementary School in Nap- year, Wa-Nee elementary and middle school teams fifth-grade teacher Jake Simons started with one team, the Eaglebots, in the fall of 2016. That inau- panee has an entire case devoted to trophies won by its robotics teams in are participating in a robotics league. The league has gural team made it all the way to the world cham- the last flve years, including the Excellence Award it received in April 2019 five sessions, one each month from October through February, and includes teams from Elkhart and Fulpionships, known officially as VEX Robotics Worlds as the top overall robotics organization in the entire world. ton County. or simply “worlds,” competing against teams from Adding to the disappointment, it was decided late in 2020 For the first time, NorthWood High School has teams, China, Europe and most of the 50 states. In 2017-18, the Eaglebots added a second team, with both the 2021 state competition in Indianapolis would not take allowing for the kids in elementary and middle school to squads making it to worlds, Both 2018-19 teams not only re- place in person. Instead it will happen in a virtual format, potentially participate in robotics throughout their acapeated that feat, but came home with the Excellence Award, which dramatically reduces its scope and number of partici- demic careers. “A main pillar of robotics is problem-solving,” said Sigiven to the top overall robotics organization in the world, pants. This year, worlds was scheduled to take place in Dallas in mons. “During a global pandemic, and with the safety of which earned the program the title of world champions. Both Woodview 2019-20 teams, along with two of the April. However, continued fears about the pandemic have can- our students at the forefront of our decisions, we had to figteams from NorthWood Middle School and two teams from Wa- celled that opportunity as well. While the logistics of getting ure out how to continue our standard of excellence within karusa Elementary, qualified to represent Wa-Nee at worlds, the kids and their robots to Texas rather than to Kentucky was Wa-Nee Robotics. We’ve tried to create some normalcy for which was scheduled to take place in Louisville last April. creating logistical challenges for the Wa-Nee teams, several of these kids. And despite the many disappointments they’ve Sadly, because of COVID, the competition was cancelled, leav- which had already qualified for state and were anticipating in- had to deal with, our students have proven, once again, vitations to worlds, everyone was ready for the new challenge. why they are some of the tops in the state.” ing many kids saddened.