For Immediate Release: May 10, 2012
Sen. John Sparks is pictured with Norman Public Schools
Advanced Robotics,
winners of six consecutive state and regional championships.
The team has been ranked third in the world in 2012 and 2011 Botball
competition.
Award Winning Norman ‘Botball’ Team Visits Senate
Students from Norman Public Schools Advanced Robotics
were recently given some time in the spotlight during a visit
to the Oklahoma State Senate. Sen. John
Sparks recognized the group for winning its sixth state and
regional Botball championship in 2012, for being ranked third
in the world in 2011 and 2012, and for competing for its third
world title in July 2012.
The Botball Educational Robotics Program engages middle and high
school aged students in a team-oriented robotics competition,
developing students’ skills in the fields of science, technology,
engineering and math. The competition further challenges students’
ability to manage projects and cooperate as team members.
“These students are developing the ability to apply their
skills in science, mathematics and related fields in ways that
directly prepare them to be the sort of innovators and problem-solvers
needed in our modern economy,” said Sparks, D-Norman. “They
should be a source of pride not only for our schools, but for
our community and the state as a whole. The knowledge they gain
from these competitions will serve them well throughout their
educational experience and beyond.”
Botball teams consist of 5-20 middle and high school aged students
who learn how to design, create and program two robots to address
games based on various themes. Norman Public Schools’ Advanced
Robotics is a merger of Norman’s two high school robotics
programs, Norman High and Norman North.
