Shelton State STEM Competition Enhancing Skills of Local Students
January 6, 2023 – As the fall semester concluded, Shelton State Community College’s Instructional Outreach programs continued meeting the needs of local high school students interested in STEM-related programs. Participants from Shelton’s BEST successfully competed at South’s BEST in December. Looking ahead, the College is preparing for its next event, the VEX IQ competition on January 28 at the Martin Campus.
Shelton’s BEST, held in October, was part of a national, non-profit, volunteer-based program designed to inspire students through competitive robotic design. Through exploration and creativity, student teams are encouraged to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. At the conclusion of Shelton’s BEST, the five top teams advanced to the regional competition in December. Evangel Christian School, Warrior Robotics, Billingsley High School, Tuscaloosa Magnet Middle School, and Northridge High School represented Shelton’s BEST at South’s BEST at Auburn University. The teams were acknowledged with the following accomplishments:
- Evangel Christian won 2nd Place in Robotic Game and the iGus Top Gun Award (the team that scored that most points in a single round)
- Tuscaloosa Magnet Middle School won Top Ranking Middle School Award
- Warrior Robotics won 2nd Place Best Team Video Award
“BEST Robotics has remained strong at Shelton State, and I am extremely proud of our teams and how they represented their schools this year,” said Beth Rominger, Instructional Outreach Specialist. “The students who participated are some of the most creative and intelligent in our area, and I am always amazed at what they bring to the competition.”
The upcoming VEX IQ is another STEM competition designed to task students with designing and building a robot within the classroom. Presented by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation, the event will provide elementary and middle school students with open-ended robotics challenges that enhance STEM skills through hands-on, student-centered learning. Additionally, development will be fostered through teamwork, critical thinking, project management and communication skills.
VEX IQ is an opportunity for students in grades 5-8. To learn more about this and other innovative opportunities for local students, visit sheltonstate.edu.
