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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
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Steering Team
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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
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Welcome to the August 2014 Rocky Mountain BEST Volunteer Newsletter.
We are less than a week until Kickoff Event for our 5th annual BEST robotics competition and we hope we can find ways to get YOU involved in the fun. We'd love to see you at our 2014 events.
In this newsletter, we update you on the 35 schools interested in competing in the Blade Runner game, we highlight some of our awesome volunteers who have prepared us for the 6 September Kickoff, and we describe the volunteer help still needed at the 11 October Practice Day and 18 October Game Day events. We also look back at our Air Show Outreach activities.
In 2014, 32 teams will be selected for the competition. This is 7 more schools than competed in 2013. The generous donations and volunteer support we've received has allowed Rocky Mountain BEST to serve more schools. Sincere thanks to everyone that has provided that support.
Please forward this newsletter to others who might be interested in Rocky Mountain (RM) BEST.
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2014 Blade Runner
Counting down until Kickoff and game reveal - Saturday 6 September!
We currently have 35 schools from around much of Colorado interested in competing and only room for 32 schools this year. The 33rd school will receive materials to build a robot but will only compete if another school drops out prior to the Game Day competition. Any schools, beyond the first 33 schools established at Kickoff, will not be able to compete this year. The list of current 32 schools below includes five 2014 rookie schools identified in italics and underlined.
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].
| 2014 School | City | 2014 School | City | | Academy for Advanced & Creative Learning | Colorado Springs | Manning Middle School | Golden | Bear Creek High School
| Lakewood
| Mountain Vista High School | Highlands Ranch | | Bishop Machebeuf High School | Denver | New Vista High School | Boulder | | Broomfield High School | Broomfield | North Middle School | Aurora | | Chaparral HS | Parker
| Rangeview High School | Aurora | | Collegiate Prep Academy | Denver | Russell Middle School | Colorado Springs | | Cripple Creek-Victor High School | Cripple Creek-Victor | Skyline High School | Longmont | | Dakota Ridge High School | Littleton | Skyview Middle School | Colorado Springs | | Denver School of Science & Technology | Denver | St. Mary's Academy High School | Englewood | | Denver South HS | Denver | Standley lake HS | Westminster | | East High School | Denver | STEM Academy | Highlands Ranch | | Gateway High School | Aurora | Thomas Jefferson High School | Denver | | Golden High School | Golden | Trinidad Middle School | Trinidad | | Lakewood High School | Lakewood | Warren Tech Central | Lakewood | | Legend High School | Parker | Wheat Ridge High School | Wheat Ridge | | Lone Star/Otis High School | Otis | Woodland Park Middle School | Woodland Park | Standby: D'Evelyn Jr/Sr High School
| Denver
| Waiting List: Littleton Preparatory Charter School & Valor Christian High School
| Littleton & Highlands Ranch
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If you missed it previously, check out the 67 second Blade Runner Teaser Video . Is there a hint in the teaser about this year's game? |
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WOW! Thanks to our Awesome Volunteers
Ready for 2014 Blade Runner Kickoff on 6 September!
 The Kit Team completed school Consumable (Blue) and Returnable (Red) kit preparation. They cataloged returned items, repaired broken items, ordered new items, inventoried everything, and ultimately filled 36 Returnable totes and 36 Consumable totes. It was a 9 month effort requiring hundreds of hours by Elwyn Allyn, Carolyn Bauer, JoAnne Fry, Lori Lazuk, Steve Garran, Patty Gaspar, Angie Matthias, Scott McEwen, Linda Scott, and Lois Walton. Kudos to you all!
 The Game Field Team has all the game field components ready for Kickoff next Saturday even though they only had the final drawings for a few weeks. Just wait until you see the field! Thanks to Carolyn Bauer, Bob Chojnacki, Roger & Sandy Erickson, Steve Garran, Carl Gaspar, Dick Harsh, Mike King, Dennis Lewis, Gary Pratt, John Pituch, Dave Porter, Connie & Jack Vandenburg, and John & Lois Walton for making it possible. A special thanks goes to Dave Porter for his field integration expertise & assistance.
The Protobot Team of Ryan Borys, Que Roberts, David Simmons, and Alex Sweetman constructed the robot to demonstrate the Blade Runner game at Kickoff. This Metro State University of Denver student team completed the robot in just a few weeks. Their design will challenge this year's BEST students to produce an even better design.
The Blade Runner 2014 Game Presentation is at 1 - 2 PM at Denver South High School Gym at 1700 E Louisiana Avenue, Denver. If you'd like to learn more about this year's game, please attend.
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Volunteers Needed for 2014 October Events
Here is a preview of Practice and Game Day support needs with current start and end time estimates. We will have additional information on October Practice and Game Day Events in a few weeks in our September Newsletter.
Practice Day Move Friday 10 October and Game Day Move Friday 17 October 5 PM - 10 PM meet at former Club Workshop and then to Event Venue
Game Field Move (5 PM - 10 PM). Meet at former Club Workshop at 999 Vallejo St #2 near I-25 and 8th Avenue. Move 4 Game Field quadrants and several totes 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 for 10 October or Auraria Event Center for 17 October. Requires heavy lifting and stair climbing.
Practice Day Saturday 11 October 8 AM - 3 PM at Thomas Jefferson High School and Game Day Saturday 18 October 7 AM - 5:30 PM at Auraria Event Center
- General Support (7 AM - 5:30 PM even two hours would help). We'll need help supporting the pit, game competition, volunteers, and school teams. All work is at Thomas Jefferson High School (3950 S Holly St near I-25 and Hampden Avenue) or Auraria Event Center near Auraria Parkway and 9th Street.
- Game Field Move (3 PM - 6 PM 11 October and 5 PM - 8 PM 18 October). We'll move 4 Game Field quadrants to the rental truck at Thomas Jefferson High School 3950 S Holly St Denver near I-25 and Hampden Avenue or Auraria Event Center near Auraria Parkway and 9th Street and then to former Club Workshop second floor at 999 Vallejo St #2 Denver near I-25 and 8th Avenue. Requires heavy lifting and stair climbing.
  
Please contact Linda at [email protected] for more information or to sign up to volunteer at the October events.
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Looking back at Erie Air Fair Adventure Zone
St Mary's Academy Helped Introduce BEST to 160 Kids and Adults
 Rocky Mountain BEST participated in the Erie Air Fair Adventure Zone on 9 August with the help of St. Mary's Academy. Special thanks to Dave Gessler, his students, and their 2013 robot.
Those attending the Air Fair were able to experience the 2013 GATEKEEPER game excitement by driving the St Mary's robot. St. Mary's students, Sarah and Katie, demonstrated the robot they designed. A great time was had by all. Thanks to volunteers, Lois Walton and Lori Lazuk, for making it all possible.
 At another outreach activity last year at the 2013 Rocky Mountain Air Show, kids were able to experience our Eva robot, shown with volunteer Kira Miller, left. These outreach programs are possible thanks to volunteers bringing Rocky Mountain BEST out to the community. Our growth over the last five years has been helped by these activities.
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| As you can clearly see with this newsletter, 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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