RM BEST Teacher / Mentor Newsletter 4
2019 OFF THE GRID Game
Early-July 2019
  • Please FORWARD this newsletter to others that might be interested and have them use this link to request to be added to the 2019 Distribution List.
Don't miss out on the 10th Rocky Mountain BEST Robotics Competition
If your school is not on the list below and you plan to have a team compete in 2019, PLEASE take a few minutes and click this button to signup for the 6-week competition starting with Kickoff on 14 September. You MUST have signed up your school to participate in summer training.
Once you signup your school, please take a few minutes to signup for the 3-day Teacher / Mentor Institute Workshop. Deadline 5 July, contact linda.king@bestinc.org if after this date.
Currently signed up:
RM BEST: Arvola, Shock, Eisinger, Freehling
GP BEST: Melby FR BEST: Moore, Schneller, Orf, Brown, Carroll, Eveker, Garcia, Sobin, Mennona, Claud, Taylor, Roybal, Haling, Taylor, Theissen NM BEST: Benavidez (2)
2019 BEST Logo


MARK YOUR CALENDARS

OFF THE GRID FALL COMPETITION
  • Kickoff - 14 September @ STRIVE Prep - RISE
  • Practice Day - 19 October @ STRIVE Prep - RISE
  • Game Day - 26 October @ Auraria Event Center MSU-Denver
  • DENVER BEST Regional Championship 7/8 December @ Crowne Plaza Denver Airport


RM BEST 2019 Signed Up Schools
As of 25 June PM, we ONLY have the following schools signed up. PLEASE register soon if you plan to participate to be able to attend summer training sessions .

  1. Abraham Lincoln High School 
  2. Aurora Frontier P-8
  3. DSST: Byers
  4. Machebeuf High School
  5. New Vista High School
  6. Pinnacle Charter High School
  7. Skyline High School
  8. Strive Prep RISE
  9. Valley High School
bESTology 2019 Web Postings

Week 1 – What is a GRID?
Week 2 – Types of grids
Week 3 – High Voltage
Week 4 – Transformers
Week 5 – Living autonomously
Week 6 – Survivor – Living off the grid
Week 7 – Let’s get wired
Week 8 – Catastrophes
Week 9 – Cyber-attacks
Week 10 – Driverless
Week 11 – Internet of things
Week 12 - The Most Dangerous Jobs in the World (FINAL)
SUMMER TRAINING - additional details below

Signup now at links below
  • Denver Teacher/Mentor Institute (TMI) Workshop - 16, 17 & 18 July @ MSU Denver
  • BEST of TEXAS Teacher Training - 15-19 JULY OR 29 JULY - 2 AUGUST - Dallas
  • Denver BEST Simulink Summer Workshop 2-day Training - planned for 30-31 July at MSU Denver - limited space to ~2/team. A $25 donation is appreciated.

SAVE THE DATE: Look for Signup information coming in next few weeks
  • BEST Robotics Inc NEW in 2019 Electronics Workshop - two 4-hour sessions planned for 3 August - option of AM or PM session at MSU Denver - space limited to ~2/team.

More information to come
  • Robot Autonomy Webinar (planned between Aug & Sep, 2-hrs)
TEACHER / MENTOR Help Needed - Please Reply to learn more.

  1. Participants for the 18 July Teacher / Mentor Institute 11 AM - 1 PM Teacher Mentor Panel + Student Panel. We will provide parking passes and lunch.
  2. Volunteers to mentor a 2019 rookie teacher
  3. Teachers/Mentors/Students who are able to help teach the electronics workshop.
  4. Looking for game Sponsors: power companies, building companies, trash companies, roofers (companies that would play a role in a disaster recovery) that we could contact to get sponsors for the game.  Email me at linda.king@bestinc.org if you have suggestions.
Don’t miss out on this year’s SUMMER training. 
Denver BEST Teacher Training
We are working with Front Range BEST to provide a 3-day Teacher / Mentor Institute 16-18 July at MSU Denver. CLICK HERE for additional details.
  • This training is intended for Teachers, coaches, and mentors of BEST Robotics teams​. Participants will design, build and compete with a mini-BEST robot.
  • In addition to workshop classroom participation, coursework includes ~ 10 hours advance preparation reading, viewing, CEU testing, and scoresheet judging
  • While geared towards new(er) BEST teachers, even veterans will gain tips and valuable experience. STUDENTS do NOT attend this workshop.
  • The Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) has graciously offered to host this workshop on their campus in downtown Denver.
  • Tuition: Teacher may earn 3.0 CEU - Colorado continuing education units with $20 fee to MSU Denver. MSU Denver CEU Registration Instructions
  • Signup deadline is 5 July, contact Linda King at linda.king@bestinc.org if after that date.
HELP! We are looking for experienced BEST teachers / mentors to participate on a Teacher / Mentor panel for about 30 minutes at ~11:30 AM on 18 July. We also will have a BEST student 30 minute panel. Please REPLY if you or one of your students might be interested in supporting these panels.
MathWorks Training
From our Friends at MathWorks...

Simulink Summer Workshop ( 30-31 July , 2-days)
  • This 2-day, ~7 hours/day workshop will teach students, teachers, and mentors proficiency with MATLAB/Simulink.
  • The workshop will include instruction using 3D virtual world, Arduino robots and BEST-centric robots (including use of new IR sensor).
  • Due to the size of the room, the number BEST team participants is limited to 16. We limit each teacher to signing up 2 from their school. If we need to reduce a school's participation to 1, we will notify the school's teacher or mentor to coordinate the reduction.
  • A $25 donation is suggested and appreciated to cover the cost of lunch and training.

MATHWORKS Robot Autonomy Webinar (planned between Aug & Sep, 2-hrs) More information to come.
  • This live webinar, which will be recorded and archived for re-play anytime, is in development and will be offered 2 times in Aug/Sept.
  • The webinar will be key and will focus on autonomous robot programming using VEX Cortex and the BEST IR sensor. Look for more information in future newsletters.
Content:
  • Autonomous programming overview
  • Temporal (time-based) Programming
  • Dead reckoning
  • Line following(using BEST IR sensor as an encoder)
Purpose:
  • Teach students about autonomous programming options
  • Teach students how to write code (or Simulink models) to use the new BEST IR sensor with VEX Cortex
BEST Robotics Inc NEW Electronics Workshop 4-hours at M SU Denver ( currently planned for Saturday 3 August with option of 4-hour AM or PM session )
In conjunction with the OFF THE GRID game theme and IR Sensor Kit part and autonomous challenge, at least one Electronics Workshop is planned in Denver.
  • The purpose is to introduce the new IR Sensor Kit, teach electrical soldering and to assemble and test IR sensors for the Hubs’ teams. 
Electrical design content specific to the IR sensor released this year includes:
  • Introduction to Soldering (including practice time)
  • Introduction to BEST IR Sensor (how it works, how it can be used)
  • BEST IR sensor assembly (by students)
  • Testing the sensor operation (no software required)
Look for more information in a few weeks on how to signup for either the morning or afternoon 4-hour sessions.
LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE: ~ 2 slots per team
HELP! We are looking for Teachers/Mentors/Students who are able to help support this workshop. Please reply to this email if interested in learning more about how you can help.
BEST of TEXAS Teacher Training
Registration is NOW OPEN for the BEST Robotics Teacher and Mentor Workshop 15-19 JULY OR 29 JULY - 2 AUGUST , hosted by BEST of Texas Robotics.
  • This training is intended for Teachers, coaches, and mentors of BEST Robotics teams​. 
  • While geared towards new(er) BEST teachers, even veterans will gain tips and valuable experience. You must be at least 18 years of age to attend this workshop.
  • The University of Texas at Dallas has graciously offered to host this workshop on their campus in Richardson, Texas. 
  • Tuition $1000 and housing option of $250. 32 hours of continuing education units 

For details including how to register, please visit http://www.bestoftexasrobotics.org/workshops.html
Rocky Mountain BEST
info@rmbest.org