Eagle Valley Middle School robotics teams earn awards

Eagle Valley Middle School’s afterschool robotics program earned the Robot Performance Award and the Breakthrough Award at the FIRST LEGO League Qualifier at Trainer Middle School in Reno on Dec. 3.

FIRST is an acronym meaning “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.” Teams competing at the robotics competition were challenged to take their passion for STEM and build something with purpose that would help solve problems in their communities.

More than 40 students participate in the EVMS robotics program. They learn about the design process, coding, problem solving and teamwork. Because of the number of students involved, EVMS fielded three teams for the competition.

The teams competed against 22 other teams from middle schools across Northern Nevada. They were judged in four categories: the Robot Game, Core Values, Innovation Project and Gracious Professionalism.

The Robot Performance Award is given to the team that scored the highest number of points during the Robot Game. Teams have a chance to compete in at least three 2.5-minute matches, and their highest score counts. The Breakthrough Award celebrates a team that made significant progress in their confidence and capability in both the Robot Game and Innovation Project and are a shining example of excellent Core Values. They demonstrate that they understand that what they discover is more important than what they win.

EVMS’s Robotics Team 1 earned 250 points in the Robot Game and took home the Robot Performance Award. Team 1 surpassed the second-place team by 55 points. Team 2 (an all-girls team) received seventh place while Team 3 received ninth place. Team 2 took home the Breakthrough Award and will be advancing to the championship competition that will be hosted at Eagle Valley Middle School on Feb. 4.

Team members and coaches regularly dedicate more than five hours per week to prepare for scrimmages and competitions. Coaches are Kimberly Tucker, Becky Ritter and German Fernandez-Hernandez.

Team 1:

Keau Ronk

Kennon Waelbrock

Liam Marler

Nicholas Budd

Karlee Timm

Mateo Canas

Allen Riley

Not pictured: Seth Michaelson and Nicole Bredow

Team 2:

McKenna Weber

Isabella Guerrero-Hurtado

Madison Sherlock

Lillian Guzzetta

Allison Shine

Roselly Herrera-Sanchez

Emily Bell

Not Pictured: Alexa Zaragoza

Team 3:

Nicholas Frederickson

Kismet Cole

Aribella Kane

Jonathan Witt

Not Pictured: Donaven Wikston and Kellen Alvarez