Submitted photos
Team 5 Energetic Eagles members include, from left, Tucker, Declan, Ellie, Caitlynn and Mason.
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ELKINS — The robotics teams from Eyes and Brains STEM Center had an exciting Friday night. Team R0B0T C@T and Team 5 Energetic Eagles participated in their first scrimmages at Mountaineer Middle School in Morgantown.
The Energetic Eagles, a group of second- to fourth-graders, have been preparing a model that demonstrates ways of using and producing energy and includes a programmed motorized component.
After three months of work, they had a chance to show off their hard work and see what other teams in the state had been building. They came away feeling ready to participate in the state competition in March.
Team R0B0T C@T, a group of fifth to eighth graders, tested their robot against 18 other teams. They have worked hard to build and program a robot that must independently complete multiple challenges in only 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Their robot performed amazingly for a first-year team and they finished in third place. They walked away with plans to improve their robot before the state competition.
This is the first year that this program has been offered in Elkins by the Eyes and Brains STEM Center.
The Eyes and Brains STEM Center is a microschool offering an alternative school experience for students in addition to offering STEM-related activities outside of school hours for all local kids and teens.
Upcoming events that the Eyes and Brains STEAM Center will be participating in include the Beckley School Fair on Jan. 21 from 11 to 2 p.m. at the Tamarack and an Adventures Day at the Old Brick Playhouse on Feb. 1.
To learn more about the Eyes and Brains STEM Center and its programs, go to eyesandbrians.org.