A total of 23 robotics teams from Mission CISD (Consolidated Independent School District) junior high and high schools recently competed against 192 other teams in the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Area One Robotics Competition.
Each team enters either an Arena Competition or the Inventions Competition. A lego-based platform is used by the teams to build their robots. In the Inventions Competition, teams create and develop a unique robotic invention that would solve a real-world problem. Team members have to approach the problem as a team of engineers, working to solve a common problem using the Engineering Design Process that consists of research, planning, development of a prototype, documenting, testing, and commercializing the invention.
In the Advanced Inventions Competition, the Mission High School (MHS) Eagle 4 team placed second and has qualified to advance to the TCEA’s state competition in Deer Park ISD in mid-April. Team members are (left to right): Ashley Bennett, Karen Blanco, Brandon Flores, Janeth Gonzalez.
The Mission Eagle 2 team consisting of Julio Sanchez, Adolfo Lopez, Juan Castaneda, and Nayelie Lopez placed 4th. The Mission Collegiate High School (MCHS) Black Knights advanced inventions team placed sixth at the area competition. Team members are: Kenya Oyervides, Abigail Ortiz, Martha Sanchez.
In the Advanced Arena Competition, the Mission Eagle 3 team placed 14th and the Mission Eagle 1 team placed 19th. Team members are: Julio Sanchez, Adolfo Lopez, Juan Castaneda, Loren Arteaga Sandoval, Nayalie Lopez, Jin Gao, Katherine McKenna Victoria McKenna, Esmeralda Reyna, Ramiro Ramirez, Jose Calderon, Carlos Nava. The Veterans Memorial High School VMHS 4 team placed 15th. Team members are: Ted Rodriguez, Joel Mares, Rene Olivarez, Henry Davis. The VMHS team 1 consisting of Judith Haro, Gabriel de la Garza, and Jaime Bazaldua, placed 27th. The MCHS Golden Knights team consisting of Itzel Martinez, Rey Rosales, and Jorge Ascencio placed 33rd. The MCHS Black Knights team consisting of Leopoldo Moreno, Juan Gamez, and John Espinoza placed 38th.
In the Intermediate Inventions Competition, Alton Memorial Jr. High School had five teams entered. The Pink Robo Rangers team consisting of Emily Barragan, Elektra Cavazos, Raven Lopez, and Vanessa Zavala placed 4th. The Platinum Robo Rangers consisting of Priscilla Quintero, Vanessa Quintero, Bianca Rosales and Anahi Florez placed 7th. The Orange Robo Rangers placed 13th. This team consisted of Kristian Gabriela Reyna, Citlali Martinez, Jose Vega, Monica Villagomez and alternate Diego Marquez. The White Robo Rangers team consisting of Kysela Garcia, Damian Gutierrez, and Monserrat Barrera placed 15th. Placing 20th was the Blue Robo Rangers consisting of Robert Low, Giselle Low, and Brianda Grimaldo. The K. White Jr. High School (KWJH) Alpha Hawk team placed 6th with team members Kevin McClary, Mauro Villarreal, Alan Castellanos, and Isabella Ayala. The R. Cantu Jr. High School team, R. Cantu Inventions, placed 23rd. The team members were Veronika Cantu, Julio Martinez, Alan Mendez, and Francisco Garza.
In the Intermediate Arena Competition, seven teams from Mission CISD placed in the top 25 out of 158. Alton Memorial Junior High School Robotics Coaches Sammy Rivera, Robert Granados, and Jesus Barrera entered nine teams consisting of 33 students. The Green Robo Rangers comprised of Steve Hoyuela, David Salazar, Farith Elvira, and Josue Silva earned 4th place recognition, while the Gold Robo Rangers placed 7th, with team members Maximo Briones, Enrique Cantu, Ivens Martinez, and Carlos Hernandez. The Black Robo Rangers team members Justin Villasenor, Chelsie Barrientos, and Jesus Martinez placed 12th. The Red Robo Rangers consisting of Laurencio Barrera, Nancy Olvera, and Destany Martinez also placed in the Arena Competition. Kenneth White Junior High Schools’ robotics teams placed 8th, 10th, and 17th. The Bravo Hawk team members Francisco Garcia, Sebastian Carrillo, Anyssa Vidaurri, and Karina Cantu earned 8th place, while the Charlie Hawk team members Tyresse Lopez, Damian Cantu, and Alondra Martinez placed 10th. The Delta Hawks consisting of Alejandro Hernandez, Esteban Lopez, and Alex Gonzalez placed 17th. R. Cantu Junior High School’s Team placed 13th the team consisted of Aaron Arredondo, Carlos Ponce, Bryan Reynaga, and Horacio Moronto.
The theme for this year’s Arena Competitions centered around Urban Search and Rescue (USAR). The challenge was to develop a low-cost robotics platform to aid USAR workers. Each team’s robot had to perform specific tasks in the challenge field; with each completed task accumulating points for the team.
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