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Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology

Build a robot in six weeks;               
inspire a youth for a lifetime

Volunteer Newsletter
Issue: #14-009
September/2014
Quick Links
  

 

Kickoff

  6 September

Saturday
South High School
Denver
Noon - 4 PM
  
Practice  Day

11 October

Saturday 
Thomas Jefferson High School Denver
  9 AM - 3 PM

Game Day

18 October

Saturday

Auraria Event Center

Denver

7:30 AM - 5 PM


 
Steering Team

Carolyn Bauer-Hub Director, Game, Returnables


 

JoAnne Fry and Lori Lazuk-

Consumable Kits


 

Jose Lopez-School Interface


 

MSU Students-Protobot


 

Linda King-Volunteer Interface


 

Linda Scott-Secretary, Awards & Judging


 

Lois Walton-Budget


 

Patty Gaspar-Events


 

Scott McEwen-Venues


 

Board of Directors

 

Kathy Geise - President


 

Linda Scott - Vice President


 

Jose Lopez - Executive Director


 

Carolyn Bauer - Secretary &  Hub Director


 

Lois Walton - Treasurer


 

Tim Bouvia - Member at Large


 

 

 ,

 

Welcome to the September 2014 Rocky Mountain BEST Volunteer Newsletter.
  
Our Blade Runner Kickoff Event was a blast with 32 school teams and 1 standby school team attending. This newsletter is all about showing YOU how to get involved in the fun and make a difference to over 300 middle and high school kids. We'd love to have your help to make the 11 October Practice Day and 18 October Game Day events a success. Please contact Linda at [email protected] to volunteer.

In this newsletter, we describe the volunteer help still needed at the 11 October Practice Day and 18 October Game Day events, we describe the Blade Runner Game and update you on the 33 schools interested in competing in the Blade Runner game,  and we highlight our awesome volunteers who made the 6 September Kickoff a success. 
 
Please forward this newsletter to others who might be interested in Rocky Mountain (RM) BEST.  
2014  Blade Runner  Game
Wind Turbine and Transportation based Game with NEW Cooperative Play

The Blade Runner Game is based on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the transportation of wind turbine components (towers, nacelles, hubs, and blades) on US transportation infrastructure.  It includes the on-site assembly of the complex structures.  

The school teams must also be aware of environmental concerns and animal habitats. Just wait until you see how prairie chickens are used.

Adjacent teams may choose to cooperate in the robotic construction of a wind turbine and may even share components for increased cost efficiency.
 
We currently have 33 schools from around much of Colorado interested in competing and only room for 32 schools this year. The 33rd school has received materials to build a robot but will only compete if another school drops out prior to the Game Day competition. The list of current 32 schools below includes five 2014 rookie schools identified in italics and underlined.
  
Looking ahead to 2015, please ask any schools that might be interested in participating in our 2015 competition to visit our website or contact Jose Lopez at [email protected]. We'd also love to see them at this year's Practice or Game Day.

2014 SchoolCity2014 SchoolCity
Academy for Advanced & Creative LearningColorado SpringsManning Middle SchoolGolden
Bishop Machebeuf High School
Denver
Mountain Vista High SchoolHighlands Ranch
Broomfield High SchoolBroomfieldNew Vista High SchoolBoulder
Chaparral HSParkerNorth Middle SchoolAurora
Collegiate Prep Academy Denver
Rangeview High SchoolAurora
Cripple Creek-Victor High SchoolCripple Creek-VictorRussell Middle SchoolColorado Springs
Dakota Ridge High SchoolLittletonSkyline High SchoolLongmont
Denver School of Science & TechnologyDenverSkyview Middle SchoolColorado Springs
Denver South HSDenverSt. Mary's Academy High SchoolEnglewood
D'Evelyn Jr/Sr High SchoolDenverStandley lake High SchoolWestminster
East High SchoolDenverSTEM AcademyHighlands Ranch
Gateway High SchoolAurora Thomas Jefferson High SchoolDenver
Golden High SchoolGoldenTrinidad Middle SchoolTrinidad
Lakewood High SchoolLakewoodWarren Tech CentralLakewood
Legend High SchoolParker Wheat Ridge High SchoolWheat Ridge
Littleton Preparatory Charter School
Littleton
Woodland Park Middle SchoolWoodland Park
Standby: Valor Christian High School Highlands Ranch

WOW!  Thanks to our Awesome Volunteers      
A HUGE Success at Blade Runner Kickoff!

2013 Spotlight Graphic The Kickoff Event was held on 6 September with all 33 schools attending. Those volunteering to make the event a success: Alex Sweetman, Angela Matthias, Ashley Lopez-Truijillo, Audrey Strong, Carolyn Bauer, Carolyn Hickey, Connie Vandenberg, Dave Porter, Dave Stevens, Dave Wilkerson, David Klein, David Simmons, Elly Baldwin, Gail Vetter, JoAnne Fry, John Pituch, Jose Lopez, Karen Savage, Kathy Geise, Keith Rodefeld, Ken Tai, Kevin Barrett, Kim Anderson, Linda King, Linda Scott, Lois Walton, Lori Lazuk, Mike King, Nick Webb, Patty Gaspar, Ronnette Sutherland, Ryan Borys, Scott McEwen, Sue Fairman, Steve Garran, Tim Bouvia, and Trice McEwen. Thanks to you all! You are the BEST!  

2014 Kickoff Volunteers + Banner

Practice and Game Day Volunteer FUN!

 

Practice Day Move Friday 10 October and Game Day Move Friday 17 October 3 - 5 PM meet at former Club Workshop and then to Event Venue for event setup from 6:30 - 9 PM.
 
Meet at former Club Workshop at 999 Vallejo St #2  near I-25 and 8th Avenue. Move 4 Game Field quadrants and pit 2014 Kickoff AV Screentotes from second floor to a rental truck.  Then on to either Thomas Jefferson High School, 3950 S Holly Street near I-25 and Hampden Ave or Auraria Event Center near Auraria Parkway and 9th Street. First 2 hours require some heavy lifting and stair climbing. Setup includes laying and taping down power cords and setting up tables, chairs, audio video equipment, and game field.

 

Practice Day Saturday 11 October 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM at Thomas Jefferson High School (3950 S Holly St.) and Game Day Saturday 18 October 7 AM - 5:30 PM at Auraria Event Center (905 Larimer St.)

Positions to support the Team pit, game competition, 2014 Kickoff Check in volunteers, and school teams. The positions with a * require game documentation review prior to supporting the event and/or a two hour training session prior to Practice Day. For these positions requiring advance training, we prefer that these volunteers support both Practice Day (11 October) and Game Day (18 October) . We'd appreciate your response prior to 27 September.
 

  • Team and Volunteer Registration - These two teams welcome Volunteers and Student Teams and provide competition information and instructions and collect required documents. Morning support.
  • Hospitality - This team sets out lunches for volunteers and students. On Game Day, we also need someone to make multiple trips by a provided bicycle with boxes of pizza from the 2014 Kickoff Registration nearby restaurant to the Event Center. Mid day support.
  • Compliance Check - Team inspects robots to insure they use only materials provided to the students in their kits. Requires familiarity with kit list materials listing and generic rules provided in advance of events. Primarily morning support. *
  • Referee - Two person teams monitor match duration, scoring, and rule compliance with student teams on the game field. Requires training session in advance with introduction to the game field and interface with the scorekeepers. Competition generic and game specific rules provided in advance of events. Day long support. *
  • Scorekeeper - This team enters data into the scoring software from scores provided by the referees at the end of each match. Requires training session in advance with the referees and with the scoring software. Competition generic and game specific rules are provided in advance along with scoring sheet. Day long support. *
  • Pit Monitor and Team Staging - Teams monitor and manage the student teams' activity off the game field "in the pit". They ensure students follow safety rules, observe rules regarding access to the pit, and are available at their scheduled time to start their matches with the required driver list. Pit Protocol, job descriptions, and rules are provided in advance for familiarization. Day long support with opportunity for partial day support  *

Game Field Return Move (3 PM - 6 PM on 11 October and 5 PM - 8 PM on 18 October).   We'll move 4 Game Field quadrants to the rental truck at the event and then to former Club Workshop second floor at 999 Vallejo St #2  Denver near I-25 and 8th Avenue. Requires some heavy lifting and stair climbing.

   

Please contact Linda at [email protected] for more information or to sign up to volunteer at the October events.

Rocky Mountain BEST would not be successful without you!  We are looking forward to working with you in 2014.
  
Sincerely,
  

Linda King

Volunteer Interface, Rocky Mountain BEST


 

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