By Herb Booth
Special correspondent
Phil Harris has gone international.
The South Grand Prairie High School math teacher is the sponsor of the school’s Robotics Team. The team competed in an international competition last week in Atlanta, Ga., where Harris says they finished respectably well and lifted a few eyebrows from the more storied robotics schools there.
“We did OK,” Harris said. “This is the first time we’ve been to such a competition. There were teams from 21 countries in Atlanta.”
The Atlanta event – the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics World Champ – required each of the 360 or so teams to build a 5-foot tall, 28-inch by 38-inch robot. The teams’ robots compete by doing certain specified tasks like emptying a truck or filling one.
“The game we played there was picking up balls, but we had a trailer to carry with it,” Harris said. He said the opponents could put balls in the opponent’s trailer. Harris said the object was not to let the opponent fill your trailer. “It was meant to simulate a moon walk.”
Harris said the students really deserve all the credit.
“They don’t get anything for it. It’s totally volunteer but they’re really dedicated,” said Harris of the team, which is made up of a handful of high school students and one eighth-grader who has been at it for three years.
Harris said it isn’t cheap, either. He said the entry fee – which pays for the materials to make the robot – was about $6,000. He said some teams spend up to $10,000 trying to gain an advantage.
“You have to stay within the rules but there are certain things you can do to gain an edge on the field of play,” Harris said. “It’s neat because no two robots look alike.”
Atlanta isn’t the only competition the team has competed in. In early March, the local team earned the GM Industrial Design Award – only one of a few special awards given – for the high quality and robustness of the robot in a competition at SMU. The team finished in the quarterfinals of that regional competition in which 52 teams vied for top honors.
Later in March, the local team won the Lone Star Regional Championship in Houston where the team was awarded the Motorola Quality Award for the quality of the robot.
Harris said he’s got plenty of help, though. Linda Medrano also serves as a teacher sponsor. Adult mentors include: David Ricks, Gerald Smith, Joe Varnell, Chuck Ricks, Taylor Ratliff and Nina Siu.
Student team members are: Ciara Waldron, Matt Ricks, Meredith Rosenthal, Harrison Miller, Nathan Woodward, Melanie Palsky, Sheba Thomas, Thai Do, Zachary Flores and Brittney Cox.
Fundraiser earns $2,500 for Woman’s Club
About 150 attended a Grand Prairie Woman’s Club fundraiser luncheon this week, earning the group about $2,500.
The money will go toward two $1,000 scholarships, one for each high school, and Kids INC (In Need of Clothing), a charitable group that helps cloth underprivileged children in Grand Prairie.
New Web site showcases green initiatives
Grand Prairie’s Green Team – a group of city staff uniting resources to improve green programs throughout the city – introduced a new Web site, www.gptx.org/green, this week on Earth Day. The site presents a comprehensive look at the city’s numerous conservation, environmental and beautification efforts.
Lone Star Park celebrates city centennial Saturday
Lone Star Park will celebrate the centennial with the Lone Star Million Preview Day, Texas Mile and Dollar Day at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 25.
First post is at 1:35 p.m. with 11 live races.
Grand Prairie’s 100th starts that morning with a Destination Grand Prairie 5K Run/Walk with proceeds going toward scholarships for Grand Prairie youth for Parks and Recreation programs and camps.
The 8:30 a.m. 5K run follows a one-mile fun walk at 8:15 a.m. Get details at www.GrandFunGP.com/run or 972-237-8100.
The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free Grand Prairie Centennial Cupcake.
Call 972-263-RACE (7223) or visit LoneStarPark.com for more information on the races.
E-mail Herb Booth at herbviv@sbcglobal.net for tips and items to include in this column.
