Hanalani School Returns Home with Second International Botball Tournament Win

HAWAI'I ROBOTICS STUDENTS EARN SECOND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE

News Release from www.HawaiiROC.org

HONOLULU- Hanalani School is a robotic force to be reckoned with. After three days of intense international competition, the Miliani students were named tournament champions for the second year in a row at the International Botball Tournament held during the Global Conference of Educational Robotics in Orange County, California, this weekend.

Competing among 64 teams from around the world, including Qatar, Austria, Poland and teams from across the United States, Hanalani's team dominated this years' tournament accumulating more than 100 points over the scores of other teams. Wahiawa Middle School also competed at the International tournament.

"None of Hanalani's team members are seniors, so I look forward to see what the team will bring to the competition next year," said Jimmy Miller, Hawaii's Botball Program Coordinator.

The 2011 Global Conference on Educational Robotics is an annual event, where middle school and high school students, educators, robotics enthusiasts, and professionals from across the world gather to connect with peers, discuss technology-related ideas, and enjoy an exciting autonomous robot tournament, the International Botball Tournament.

Hanalani competed at the Hawai'i Regional Botball Tournament in May at the Hawaii Convention Center, along with 37 other Hawai'i-based Botball teams. Hanalani was also undefeated in the local tournament, and was named winner of the double elimination bracket.

Earlier this year, Hawaii robotics teams also achieved global recognition when Waialua High School won the Chairman's Award at the FIRST Robotics World Championships in St. Louis, Missouri.

Botball engages middle and high school students in a team-oriented robotics competition based on national science education standards. By designing, building, programming, and documenting autonomous robots, students use science, engineering, technology, math, and writing skills in a hands-on project that reinforces their learning.

Botball is one of six major educational robotics programs in the state. Recognizing the importance of promoting robotics at an early age and sustaining students' interest in STEM education throughout their schooling, Hawai‘i's six robotics programs (FIRST Robotics, Botball, Underwater ROV, VEX Robotics, Micro Robotics, FIRST LEGO League) have joined together to form the Hawai‘i Robotics Organizing Committee (ROC). Robotics engages students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and provides them with the teamwork, critical thinking and problem-solving skills they need to compete in the 21st century workplace. The ROC is supported by the Friends of Hawaii Robotics, a Hawaii not-for-profit corporation.

To learn more about robotics education in Hawai‘i, visit www.hawaiiroc.org.

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