Grove City College Hosts BEST Robotics Contest

GROVE CITY, Pa.– Middle- and high-school-student robot builders will descend on the campus of Grove City College this weekend for Wolverine BEST, a robot-building contest.

The competition is presented by Elliott Group.

The ‘bot’ building competition tests students’ ability to use their engineering skills to solve problems as they find the fun in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines, says Stephanie Adams.

Adams is ABET Coordinator and Wolverine BEST Hub director at the college.

Winners of the Wolverine BEST regional contest advance to national competition.

This is the seventh year that Grove City College has hosted the BEST regional event. Nineteen teams of students will build robots as they compete in a game called “Bet the Farm.” Their objective is to create and assemble a machine that can execute a series of tasks better and faster than the competition.

Grove City College students will be among the volunteers.

Grove City College is a BEST Hub that provides high- and middle-school students an opportunity to learn more about engineering and technology by solving a real-world problem by mixing it with the fun of a competition, Adams said.

In addition, BEST Robotics provides a venue that enables students to see that in addition to design, engineering involves marketing, teamwork and detailed documentation through an engineering notebook.

While on campus, the 19 teams will make marketing presentations Saturday.

Schools participating are Clarion Area High School, Cornerstone Prep, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy, FINS, Grove City High School, Mercer Area High School, Slippery Rock Middle School, Union Area High School, West Middlesex High School, Christian Life Academy, Commodore Perry High School, Grove City Area Homeschoolers, Kennedy Catholic High School, Commodore Perry Middle School, Franklin Area Middle School, Holy Trinity School, Redeemer Lutheran School, Grove City Middle School and Keystone High School.

Elliott Group – which designs, manufacturers and services turbo-machinery for a global clientele – signed on as the competition’s lead sponsor this year to support BEST’s ultimate goal, to inspire students to pursue degrees and careers in STEM disciplines.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.