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Teams from 8 Big Isle schools face off in underwater robot meet
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 9:45 AM HST
Konawaena High School wins overall honors at the BI Remote Operated Vehicle Regional competition at Kona Aquatic Center Pool
On Saturday more than 50 students on teams from eight Big Island schools competed in the Big Island R.O.V. (Remote Operated Vehicle) Regional (BIRR) Competition at the Kona Aquatic Center.
The BIRR competition was staged with support from the county Department of Research and Development, the Marine Advanced Technology Education Center (MATE) based in Monterey, Calif., and the Hawaii Island Economic Development Board Women in Technology Program.
The sponsor organizations provided funding for a teacher-training workshop, R.O.V kits for the teams and competition logistics support.
The Big Island competition is one in a series of regional and national competitions coordinated by MATE. Funded by the National Science Foundation, MATE is a national partnership of employers, working professionals and educators whose mission is to improve marine science and technology education.
The Hawaii Island Economic Development Board works in partnership with the Maui Economic Development Board on the Women in Technology Project. The Women in Technology Project is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, and is the first work-force development project of its kind to encourage women and girls into math, science, engineering and technology education and careers.
The Big Island students have worked with their teachers since January to design and build a R.O.V (Remote Operated Vehicle) to complete specific underwater missions in the Kona Aquatic Center Pool.
The goals of the competition revolved around a combined ocean-space theme which highlights the similarities between the technologies used in ocean and space science and exploration. The students maneuvered their underwater R.O.V.s to trigger a malfunctioning release transponder and to connect an underwater cable to an electronics module. In addition to the underwater challenge, students submitted technical reports and poster displays and took part in engineering evaluation interviews.
In January, eight teachers participated in a workshop to learn how to build, operate and then instruct students in building an underwater R.O.V. The workshop also included Gender Equity Training, outlining strategies to aim for a 50 percent gender ratio in participating teams.
Participating schools and teachers were: Katherine (Loke) Roseguo-Nawahiokalani'opu'u; Sylvia Texeira- West Hawaii Explorations Academy- High School and Middle School; Tracy Bloom-Parker School, Cynthia Fong-Hilo Intermediate School; Craig Fuller-Konawaena High School; Lawrence Rice-Kealakehe High School; and Lisa Diaz-Kealakehe Intermediate School.
The competition was coordinated by Lawrence Rice from Kealakehe High School.
Competition results follow: first place overall: Konawaena High School; second place overall: Kealakehe High School; third place overall: West Hawaii Explorations Academy High School; first place, engineering: Konawaena; second place, engineering: Parker School; third place, engineering: Hilo Intermediate; first place, best mission: Konawaena High School; second place, best mission: Kealakehe High School; third place, best mission: West Hawaii Explorations Academy-Middle School; first place, display and presentation: Nawahiokalani'opu'u; second place, display and presentation: West Hawaii Explorations Academy-High School; third place, display and presentation: Kealakehe Intermediate.
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