The Vale High School robotics team is heading to Texas to compete at a world competition after recently taking second at the state tournament.
The team of four students developed a sophisticated robot that impressed judges at the state competition held last month at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, according to Jim Schaffeld, robotics club advisor and welding teacher.
Schaffeld said students Layton Hickman, Ian Nieskens, Jonny Gonzalez-Ocampo and Zayne Thode worked on the project for nearly a year.
He said the students designed and built a remote-controlled four-wheeled machine robot to navigate obstacle courses, move objects and compete in specific challenges.
Schaffeld said his role is offer suggestions and help with technical issues. Beyond that, Schaffeld said the rest is up to the students.
“It’s their robot,” Schaffeld said.
Schaffeld said that the Vale team would join eight other teams from Oregon in the Texas competition. He added that the world contest will feature more than 800 other robotics programs from around the globe.
Schaffeld said this would be the sixth time the Vale program has qualified for the world competition.
“We’ve been extremely successful here, mostly because of the amazing students that we have,” he said.
Schaffeld said that the robotics program provides another way for students to engage in activities besides sports. At the events, said the team has interviews and talks with the other teams to learn new ideas and strategies to incorporate into their project, he said.
He said the team has high expectations and its goal was to make it to the world competition.
“They’ve been extremely successful,” Schaffeld said. “They are a really great group of kids.”
Those looking to donate to help the team with travel costs can contact Schaffeld at 541-473-3181.
News tip? Send your information to Steven Mitchell at [email protected].
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