Robotics banquet
It seems like Matt just jumped on the robotics team train a few months ago, but he assures me that it's been 4 years. It took me a while to understand how robotics works, from the teams at the school to the competitions themselves, and just when I think I have a handle on it, he goes and graduates. I can tell you that he has learned so much from participating in robotics: using tools and machines to manufacture parts, deciding on a strategy which determines the robot's functionality, then deciding what parts and assemblies would work best, to ordering parts within a budget, and having to work with other students who have slightly different ideas, leadership, teaching younger kids how to work machines and how generally to be a good parts maker, team strategy and so much more. I am of the opinion that his time in robotics has taught him a great deal more than his actual public education.
The banquet was held at a golf club and the dinner was pasta, veg, and salad. I allowed myself to eat not according to my diabetic diet, which meant I had garlic bread, both pastas (half a cup each, so I did some restricting) and half a plated of veg/salad. Then I had a piece of cake. It did spike my blood glucose, but the next morning, I was back to where I should be.
Matt got some awards at the banquet, and best one was MBP (Make Bill Proud--Bill is one of the coaches and he wanted the team to have fun, which he said would in turn make them a better team). This award was given to team members who had fun, who had creative ideas to lift team spirit and reach out to others in new ways. The team pilot got one of the MBPs for her constant dancing during down time while waiting for the matches to start. She was on camera a lot and basically showed whoever was watching that she was having a good time no matter what the circumstances were. Matt got it for creating, scouting for, and awarding the Spaghetti awards. The Spaghetti awards were given to other robotics teams at competitions and were judged on two questions: 1) How much spaghetti can your robot hold? and 2) What is your school's spaghetti policy? Best answers were awarded a can of Chef Boyardee Spaghetti, and livened the mood in the pits. It also generated good will between teams. The Spaghetti award is something Matt totally would come up with--it's absurdist and surprising. The third MBP was given to the boys who came up with the KING TeC mixtape that was given out at competitions and is apparently highly coveted. The teams' motto and goal is to have more fun than everyone else, and from all accounts, they succeeded.
I took some pictures of the awards but they are still on my other camera. You'll have to be satisfied with these.
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| Seniors got a poster |
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| Mini robot on the table |
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| Mini robot came home with us. Also, another team parent put individual scrapbooks together for the seniors. Can you imagine the amount of time that took? It's not just a photo album either. She decorated pages. It's a wonderful gift. |
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