On Nov. 17, students from Centerville Middle School (CMS) and Landisville Middle School (LMS) competed in the first Hempfield Gifted Robotics Competition. Teams of middle-schoolers in the gifted program used their problem-solving skills and coding savvy to face off in tug-of-war matches during the contest, which was hosted at CMS, 865 Centerville Road, Lancaster.

During each round of the bracket-style tournament, two teams pitted their robots against each other in a struggle to pull the enemy to the opposite side of the board. Each robot had to meet specific criteria to be eligible for the competition, and it needed to follow a set of rules. For instance, the contender could not leave the battle board for the duration of the round. The students also had to design the machines to function autonomously, and they were not permitted to use a controller to pilot their creation. The contestants used computer programming to give the bot a script to follow, which included calculating various factors that would impact its chances of achieving a tug-of-war victory.

The teams began to work on their bots in September, meeting once per week during their flex periods to learn how to program and construct the machine. As the students created their bots, they worked as a team to find creative strategies to give themselves the best chance of success. Some students prioritized the mass of their robot and made its chassis as large as possible, while others placed an emphasis on the gear train to improve torque. One team equipped its contender with a hook on its back to secure the rope. In between rounds, participants were given 15 minutes to adjust their designs and address problems with the machines before they took on their next opponent.

The winning team comprised CMS students Trevor P., Luke W. and Greg H., whose bot prevailed over the second-place team of LMS students CJ R., Riley R. and Cooper M. "At the very end of the championship, one of my kids came over and asked when the next one was. I laughed because we had just finished 3 seconds ago," said Kristen Fickes, gifted support teacher at LMS. "That was a great example of the enthusiasm and sheer joy in learning robotics education."

The robotics competition was made possible by grant funding from the Hempfield Foundation. Fickes wrote the grant with the goal of utilizing robotics materials she had acquired for a previous unit on problem solving, which tasked her students with transporting blocks by piloting a machine with a remote. Fickes and CMS gifted support teacher Dan Snyderman collaborated with school administrators and staff members in the technology support departments to create the tournament.

"Middle-schoolers can often be distracted from school, but the kids came in and got right to work on robotics day," Snyderman said. "They're learning next-generation skills they can use after they graduate, and they love the hands-on nature and problem-solving challenge."

Fickes and Snyderman plan to make the robotics competition a regular event, and they hope to partner with other schools in the area to offer the tournament.