B.E.S.T Robotics - Students needed!

BEST Robotics is a fantastic opportunity for your child! We participated in the robotics competition this past fall and we had a blast. It's a lot of hard work, but oh, so worth it. And it only lasts for 6 weeks unless you happen to make it on to the next round of competition.

To get a sense of what BEST is all about, try their web pages:

BEST Robotics (national page) and Auburn's hub page:

War Eagle BEST

On the national page you will find a "teaser trailer" video for this fall's competition. All we know at this point is that it has to do with "Bugs", but that could mean many things.

However, in addition to the robotics portion of the competition, they also have a separate competion, usually referred to as the "marketing" or "business" competition. This year, the A2Z team is going to participate in this part of the competition as well! So, we need YOUR help. I'll post a series of skills and materials that we will be needing this fall. Much of it will be people-intense, but we will also need some material goods (and therefore, sponsorship money!) to help pull off this whole thing. It will be a great way for your kids to make friends, learn valuable skills, work hard and have lots of FUN!



Thanks,
Melanie Ellis
A2Z Homeschool BEST Robotics Marketing Team Coach

Hex Bug Fundraiser!

This year our team is selling Hex Bug Nanos as a fundraiser. We have the regular Nanos in orange, pink, purple, blue and green. The skitter around like real little bugs and are quite cute! Here, here's a picture!

Wouldn't you like to own one of these? Or ten? I know you do! They are $8 each, and the team gets $2 of that. Please feel free to contact me:

emeleel

at

gmail.com

Student skills needed

The marketing team will be doing many things to support the robot team, as well as compete in their own right. Some of the skills we're looking for are:

• Writing: There is a notebook that must be turned in for the robot team that includes a variety of writing and composition skills, including a 2-5 page research report.

• Research: To help with the research paper, even if you don't feel comfortable writing at that level.

• Photography: Pictures of the team at various stages of the work, plus pictures of the robot, for presentations and exhibits.

• Speech: A 12 minute marketing presentation is the first stage of the marketing competition. At least 4 students must be present for this.

• Graphic arts: A variety of skills in the graphics arts would be helpful. There will be numerous opportunities to design and implement small and large things: exhibits, a website, displays, multimedia presentations, flyers, t-shirts and more, depending on what the students decide to use to put forward our team.

• Spirit and Sportsmanship: We need enthusiastic, extroverted team members to be able to work the exhibit booth on the main day of competition, as well as work to promote "pep and spirit" for the robot team as they compete.

• Computer skills: We would love to have someone work on a website for the team, as well as help create a quality multi-media presentation for the business presentation portion of the competition.

• Fund-raising and publicity: Some of this can be handled by the adults, but this is supposed to be a student-led effort, so go-getter students who can work in this area would be a great asset.

Marketing students will need to occasionally sit in on build-team sessions (at least parts of them) in order to take pictures and notes, but most of the marketing will be done separately.