The Critical Need for Future Engineers, Scientists, and Technical Professionals

BEST Middle and High SchoolRobotics Competition

A Workforce Development Program

Video

The Problem(s)• The United States is losing its leadership

position in engineering, science and math

• Engineering-based companies cannot find enough technically trained recruits

• Colleges and Universities see declining enrollment in most engineering fields• women & minorities are extremely under-

represented

• Students transitioning from K-12 to college lack both the skills/desire to enter engineering programs

BEST Robotics – A Start

• BEST Robotics, Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer organization whose mission is to inspire middle through high school students to pursue careers in engineering, science, and technology through participation in a sports-like, hands-on, real-world engineering-based robotics competition.

• Last fall, more than 12,000 students representing over 800 schools participated at 38 competition sites (hubs) in 16 states.

BEST Basics

• There is no cost or fee for schools.

• Starts in September & concludes six weeks later.• Students perform all of the work. • Mentors – engineers and other technical

professionals from local companies – guide the students through the design & construction phase.

• In addition to the robot competition, students write an engineering notebook, give an oral presentation and prepare a display area.

BEST ResultsAs a result of participating in BEST, students…• Experience real-world science and engineering

challenges, training that is transferable to all academic disciplines and career pursuits.

• Understand what engineers do - engineering is “demystified.”

• Experience “design-to-market” product development - experience that is transferable to all career pursuits.

• It is less robotics and more problem-solving.

Further BEST Results• Students become technologically proficient -

better prepared for tomorrow’s workforce.• Students become competent and confident in:

abstract thoughtself-directed learningteamworkoral/written communicationproject managementdecision-makingproblem-solvingleadership.

BEST Timeline• Each year the robot competition has a different

theme• the theme directly relates to a real world problem

• In early to mid-September the high school and middle school teams are invited to Kick-Off Day• there they hear about that year’s game, see the

playing field and pick up their materials

BEST Timeline• One or two weeks before the competition, each

team brings their robot to Mall Day• this is a public event that generates interest, press

coverage and excitement

BEST Timeline• Finally, six weeks after Kick-Off day, is Game Day

• robots compete, students present, communities get excited, prizes are awarded

• winning teams are invited to compete in a Regional Competition

So, What Can We Do Together?

• Grove City College is sponsoring the Wolverine Hub in fall, 2010

• We are raising funds and soliciting professional mentors for teams

• Please consider forming a team

A Teacher Testimonial“We have around 50 students from the robotics team

at Austin currently enrolled in college in the following fields of study: aerospace, chemical, electrical, biomedical, and mechanical engineering; computer science; applied math; physics; international business; and finance.

When they entered college, they knew they had selected the correct field of study for them — not because a guidance counselor or I told them they would be a good engineer, but because they had spent four years as active members of our BEST team.”

Susan Haddock, Math Teacher

Austin High School Decatur, AL

A Teacher Testimonial“I can only tell you from the experiences that my

students and I have had that BEST is one of the most phenomenal student competitions available. To be able to take materials — literally a load of “stuff” — and watch them transform it into a workable, tasking robot is something that no textbook alone could teach.”

Angel Findlater, Science Teacher

South Girard Middle SchoolPhenix City, AL

A Teacher Testimonial“I think the most important lesson learned by

all was not to give up. Our robot never worked until the Saturday morning of the competition. No matter what we did, it always failed throughout the six weeks. It was not until that Saturday morning, with time running out, that as a team we pulled it together. It was an incredible boost to team morale to have a working ‘bot for the competition. I believe this showed them to never, ever, give up.”

Jeremy Raper,Science & Robotics TeacherBob Jones High SchoolMadison, AL

A Teacher Testimonial“In many ways, the BEST experience is like an

education greenhouse; what happens during six weeks of competition would take an entire year in the classroom.”

Dr. Mark Conner, HeadThe Engineering

Academy at Hoover High

SchoolHoover, AL

A Teacher Testimonial“Several of our students were failing school and at

risk of dropping out until they joined the robotics team and found their niche. The challenges of BEST Robotics were just what they needed to inspire them to do better in their studies so they could stay on the team. They are now some of our top academic students!”

John Hoffmaster,Science TeacherBillingsley High

School

Do we have your support?

• Questions

• Next Steps

• Contacts:Dr. Mike Bright, Hub Director, mwbright@gcc.edu

Dr. Connie Nichols, School Coordinator, cnnichols@gcc.edu

BEST References

• BEST Robotics, Inc. http://best.eng.auburn.edu/

• Grove City College http://www.gcc.edu/

• BEST Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHZxq7BFDEk