Council Bluffs hosts national robotics competition
If it’s hard to find a hotel in Omaha or Council Bluffs this weekend, blame the robots. “It has really grown into a major international event,” said Jim Schulte, President of the CREATE Foundation. CREATE is an acronym for Competitive Robotics Enhancing and Advancing Technology Education. “It’s a non-profit organization dedicated to technical education,” Schulte said. “We want to inspire today’s students and prepare them to be tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.” March 23-25, more than 500 high school teams from 44 states and multiple countries will compete for the grand prize at the Iowa West Fieldhouse the US Open robotics competition. The robots created by the teams are to compete against other robots by shooting yellow discs into a Frisbee golf-like basket. “It teaches these kids how to code,” said Christy Arthur, the mother of a Thomas Jefferson High School competitor. “It teaches the design process and it teaches them to be inventive.” One team gets five points for making it and gives the other team one point if they miss. “I call it a sport – it’s 100% a sport,” said Arthur. Schulte said that the competition would not be possible without the volunteer help. “We’re very proud of the great support we’re receiving from participants and understand that what we’re doing matters,” he said. The CREATE competition also involves collaborating with other teams – they can earn more points by collaborating. “It’s a student-led program, so it’s amazing what these young engineers can come up with,” Arthur said.
If it’s hard to find a hotel in Omaha or Council Bluffs this weekend, blame the robots.
“It has really grown into a major international event,” said Jim Schulte, President of the CREATE Foundation.
CREATE is an acronym for Competitive Robotics Enhancing and Advancing Technology Education.
“It’s a non-profit organization dedicated to technical education,” Schulte said. “We want to inspire today’s students and prepare them to become tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.”
March 23-25, more than 500 high school teams from 44 states and multiple countries will compete for the grand prize in the US Open Robotics Competition at the Iowa West Fieldhouse.
The robots created by the teams are to compete against other robots by shooting yellow discs into a Frisbee golf-like basket.
“It teaches these kids how to code,” said Christy Arthur, the mother of a Thomas Jefferson High School competitor. “It teaches the design process and it teaches them invention.”
A team gets five points for it and gives the other team one point if they miss.
“I call it a sport – it’s 100% a sport,” said Arthur.
Schulte said that the competition would not be possible without the volunteer help.
“We’re very proud of the support we’re receiving from participants and know that what we’re doing matters,” he said.
The CREATE competition also involves collaborating with other teams – they can earn more points by collaborating.
“It’s a student-led program, so it’s amazing what these young engineers can come up with,” Arthur said.