Mount Paran Christian School Robotics Team has engineered their way to State Competition – MDJOnline.com

The Mount Paran Christian Eagle Robotics team competed last weekend at East Cobb Middle School, and after a nail biter of a competition finished with the Inspire award which will advance the team into the state championship. Mount Paran Christian made Robotic history as being the only team to win two Inspire awards in one year. The Eagle Robotics Diamond plate team of freshman and sophomores, finished the seeding round of forty in fifth place. They were selected into the third seed alliance as first pick, won the semifinal round in 2 out of 3, and landed in the finals, which is also a best 2 out of three match event. The Eagles won the first finals round match and was left with only one match to win the tournament. A mechanical malfunction in the second round left them 1 and 1 with the entire tournament riding on a single two-and- a- half minute match. The Eagles completed the match driving on only three wheels and with the score so close that no one knew who had won. When the score had been counted, it was confirmed that for the first time in the history of the First Tech Challenge, the final match had ended in a tie. The Eagles lost the final tie-break match, but finished the day with the Inspire award, which is considered the highest trophy for the event. The team will now compete in the state championship at Clayton State University on Feb. 18.

The Robotics team encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others and teaches respect for individuals and the community. Coach Brad Smith commented that Robotics give students who might not enjoy competitive athletics a chance to see what it means to be part of a team that needs to work together, organize, plan, and find the discipline needed to prosper in a competitive environment.

If it wasnt enough to win top honors at the competition, one of the teams members was being interviewed for another prestigious award. Jasmine Chrisp, a junior at Mount Paran Christian was interviewed at the competition for the Robotics Deans List Award and reached semifinal status. She will find out at the state championship if she will be a Georgia finalist.

It is the intention of FIRST that these students will continue on, post-Award, as great leaders, student alumni and advocates of FIRST.

Jennifer Bonn is a freelance writer and Kennesaw resident who teaches at Mount Paran Christian School. She has been published in several magazines, and has published a book titled Stay Away from the Girls Bathroom, A Teachers Guide. It is available from Deeds Publishing at http://www.deedspublishing.com.

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Mount Paran Christian School Robotics Team has engineered their way to State Competition - MDJOnline.com