Last week the College & Career Readiness department hosted our second annual Balloon Blitz, a robotics competition involving RPS 205 high school students.
Students in the Principles of Engineering class from Roosevelt Community Education Center, and East, Guilford and Jefferson high schools participated in the event and designed robots for battle. The goal of each of the five rounds was to pop balloons on opponents' robots. Once your robot's balloons were popped, your robot is out. Student teams were able to participate in five rounds, as well as the end "battle royale" event.
It was a great day for engineering in action. Every student was engaged, not just for the fabulous lunch that Rockford University provided, but for the fun they experienced during this healthy competition. Congratulations to the winning teams:
FIRST PLACE: ROOSEVELT COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTER
Erik Hernandez
Damarcus McCullough
Alec Simplot
Coach Brent Fritz
SECOND PLACE: EAST HIGH SCHOOL
Ben Gibbons
Raul Lopez
Josh Zayasith
Kham Zayyasith
Coach Pam Ruenger
THIRD PLACE: JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL
William Cultra
Alijawon Sallis
Evan Vinson
Coach Suadad Alazzawi
Special thanks to Craig Corcoran, RPS 205 Engineering teacher and Project Lead the Way Coordinator, for taking point on organizing the event. Thanks to the RPS 205 IT department for volunteering to score matches, and thanks to Rockford University for hosting us.
Bridget French was born and raised in Rockford and is a graduate of Auburn High School. She is the Rockford Public Schools Executive Director of College and Career Readiness, overseeing high school Academies, career and technical education, and middle and high school counselors. She is the mother of two sons, one in RPS 205, and one at NIU.