Robotics Students at Lake Orion High School Excel at Tourney

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Pontiac-based Notre Dame Prep and Wixom-based Oakland Schools Technical Campus Southwest were crowned robotics champions at a countywide robotics tournament last weekend.

In addition to sharing championship honors, Notre Dame Prep won the Technical Excellece Award for its robot at the Oakland County Competitive Robotics Association’s county champioship Saturday at Walled Lake High School

Participting schools entered 22 robots in the competiton.

Other finalists in the competition were teams from International Academy East, of Troy; Oakland Schools Technical Campus Northeast, Pontiac.

Othr semi-finalists were Pontiac High School, Rochester Adams High School, Walled Lake Schools and Walled Lake Western High School,

The International Academy East team received two additional honors: the 2015 OCCRA Top Seed Award, and the Strategic Design Award for “many outstanding features that came together to create an outstanding robot,” judges said.

The Beautiful Bot Award went to Novi’s Catholic Central High School for its eye-catching robot with bright blue and white colors, and the team’s school name prominently displayed.

Judges in the ompetition — Rick Drummer, Steve Langdon, Jennifer Pakkala, Rahamath Shaik, and Jim Soisson — awarded the Quality Award to Rochester Adams High School for its explanation of the robot design, as well as the reason behind the design.

Judges were impressed with how the team’s robot was able to “pick up game pieces and efficiently roll into the goal with the help of a uniquely designed self-adjusting conveyor.”

The Spirit of the Competition Award went to Pontiac High School. Judges said the team was “extraordinarily enthusiastic at every single tournament.”

Lake Orion High School won the Simple Solutions Award for its simplistic mechanical design and simplistic game winning strategy.

The Most Improved Award went to Waterford Kettering High School for using a design review process after each competition to look for upgrades needed for continuous improvements.

The Judges’ Award for Continuous Effort (Powered by Torque) went to Oxford High School. The team got off to a slow start, but built momentum and improved its robot’s strength and capability each week.

Royal Oak-based Oakland Schools Technical Campus Southeast earned the Judges’ Award for Perseverance. Judges noted the team’s extensive use of pneumatics, and how members strived to be respectful, on time, and prepared.