Local teams kick bot at RoboRAVE Colorado

MONTE VISTA—Youth from 20 robotics teams from Colorado and New Mexico participated in the RoboRAVE Colorado youth robotics competition on Saturday, April 1 at Monte Vista High School in Monte Vista. This contest, hosted by the San Luis Valley 4-H Robotics program and RoboRAVE International, offered participants the opportunity to compete for prizes in four different events and two age divisions. Local competitors from the San Luis Valley performed strongly in all of the events.

San Luis Valley 4-H members swept the awards in the a-MAZE-ing event. Damion Garcia and Stefan Guillen won first place with their maze navigating robot. Noah Malouff, Derek Rodriguez and Matthew Bishop finished second. Elias Arredondo and Ike Renner came in third.

In the new Alpine bot event, San Luis Valley 4-H members Matthew Jones and David Chavez won first place with their mountain climbing robot. Daniel Rivera from Monte Vista High School took home second and Nicholas Springer from San Luis Valley 4-H came in third.

In the middle school division of the Line Follow event New Mexico ASK Academy student Tyler Brisfield took home first place. His classmates Krish Bhakta and Quoya Gable-Lairsey took home second. In the high school division for the Line Follow, Saguache County 4-Hers Mason Torr and Michael Ward won first place. Monte Vista High School’s Briana Bounds and Anna Marie Garcia placed second.

In the Jousting event, Chaffee County 4-H member Tristan Ganskow finished first. His fellow Chaffee County 4-Hers Logan Bese and Ian Helland finished second.  Elias Arredondo and Ike Renner from the San Luis Valley 4-H program finished third.

In addition to these event awards, youth were recognized for outstanding teamwork, sportsmanship, grit, and creativity.

“We are so pleased with the performance of all the teams at RoboRAVE Colorado this year” said Amy Henschen, event director and 4-H youth development agent with Colorado State University Extension. “It was great to see the enthusiasm, problem-solving, teamwork and sportsmanship of all of the youth participants.”

RoboRAVE Colorado is a youth robotics competition for kids ages 8 to 18 who are members of 4-H, community, or school teams. The event is a partnership between RoboRAVE International, San Luis Valley 4-H, and the Monte Vista School District. It was made possible by financial and in-kind support from Trinidad State Educational Foundation, San Luis Valley 4-H Foundation, Poole Chemical, Holiday RV South Fork, Monte Vista Rotary, Kristi Mountain Sports, Monte Vista Kiwanis, Big Valley HobbyTown, and Dairy Queen.

For more information on RoboRAVE Colorado or the 4-H youth development program, visit the San Luis Valley website at http://sanluisvalley.colostate.edu, call 719-852-7381 or email [email protected]. 4-H is a cooperative effort between Colorado State University Extension and Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.