Rob: Joining me now here in our CarrerTech studio is Harold Holley, Regional
Director for Oklahoma FIRST Robotics.
I guess the most important question is how can people get involved in what looks
to be a really exciting event?
Harold Holley: Well it is exciting and I think the easiest thing for them to
do would be to go to the U S FIRST web site which is www.USfirst.org, and then
pre-register for the Oklahoma City regional.
Rob: Now, we had the pleasure to follow some teams around the past
couple of years that went off to regionals in other states.
But it seems the interest here just continues to grow?
Holley: It does; and those veteran teams, those 12 teams that are here in the
state, are going to be a real big help to these new
teams that are coming on board.
Rob: How many teams do we have registered so far?
Holley: Well, that's the astounding thing.
We have over 25 teams that have expressed interest this year.
Now, we're talking about brand new teams, in addition to the 12 teams
that are going to be coming back.
Rob: Okay. So a total of 37, and when
they do that, there is a cost involved, but then
there's some help from the legislature?
Holley: That's correct; and I think probably the astounding growth has been
because of the help that the legislature has provided along with the
Department of Education administering a robotics project grant.
That grant is valued at $5,000, and registration is $6,000.
So that really will help these rookie teams get rolling.
Rob: And so those individual schools, and I was looking at the list
here, and something I find interesting is there's a lot of partnering going
on, especially in some rural areas.
Holley: That's correct.
A lot of the rural schools, your math or science teacher have
expressed interest in getting involved, but they're not sure where
they are going to find the place to build their robot, or the equipment to
cut things, or to assemble things, and that's where the CareerTech Centers
have been very helpful in being collaborative in nature with those rural
schools in their area.
Rob: And, ultimately, what this is doing, it's giving high schools students, or
high school-age students an opportunity to learn
engineering and science skills.
Holley: That's correct.
They get a kit of parts, with no instructions.
And from that, they can add some parts, they can get help from their
industry people, and they have to build; this kit of parts is $17,000 worth of
donated parts that are going to help build a robot to accomplish
certain tasks, and those tasks change every year.
Rob: So, do we know when the regional is?
Holley: The regional is going to occur the 19th; they'll open their robot
box back up on the 19th of March.
The final competition is Saturday, the 22nd of March.
So there'll be a series of competitive activities.
Rob: Well, we'll definitely circle it on our calendars; and it
looks like it's going to be a great program that's going to be a lot of fun.
Holley: It will be.
Rob: All right, Harold, thank you for being here.
Now, to see exactly what happens at a regional robotics competition, just
head to our web site at OkHorizon.com and click on value added.