Robotics team at CHS earning high scores
And ‘wins’ in competitions
CHS Robotics students pictured in the photo at the Anderson County School Board meeting Thursday were Dylan Butler, Jack Hutchins, Mac Taylor, and Anna Cardall.
ACCTC Director Kelly Myers introduced the team and their adviser to the school board.
Jimmy Davis, from Norwood Middle School, is the team’s coach.
Davis replaced Ben Barrington, the former coach who retired last year.
RoboDragon students showed the board the two first place trophies. The first trophy was won in September at a ‘Robo Rodeo’ competition at the Tennessee State Fair.
The other trophy, won two weeks ago, was a first place obtained from the Battle for the Bluegrass competition in Corbin, Ky.
Students also showed board members their newest creation, a robot they designed, coded, and built themselves “from scratch,” and is the robot they are currently using for competitions--and winning.
“I can’t take the credit for this. It’s these kids who have done it,” said Davis, who noted that it was the students’ determination and hard work that made it possible.
More important than winning is the real-world experience students are getting, Davis said.
“This is an actual real-world application--these kids can get scholarships to college,” he said.
Anderson County Director of Schools Dr. Tim Parrott agreed, adding that the Robotics class has opened up many doors for former Robotics students. Parrott pointed out to the board that some of the former students have been accepted into strong engineering schools like MIT and UT, and many others, and that their experiences on the Robotics team helped them gain a leverage.
The Robotics team also asked the school board to provide funding to build a new robot pit.
A new pit would cost about $2,500, said Davis.
“A pit is kind of like a pit used in stock car (racing). It’s where you take the robot during breaks and work on it, fix and adjust things. Our pit right now could use a little help. We would love a new pit. We would love to see if we can get a new pit this year to continue and bring home some more first place trophies,” said Davis.