Archi-medes!

[Tonya Scott 476]

Team 2424 is a rookie team from Bixby, OKlahoma. They are 1 of the 24 rookie teams we started here in Oklahoma.

Only 2 Okie Rookie teams are coming to the Championship. (the other team is 2352 Metal Meyham--they are in another division, and won the Rookie All Star award. 2352 is sponsored by the Chickasaw Nation (the same Native American Nation that Astronaut John Harrington is from) In fact, John was a part of our Regional Planning Committee, and spoke at our September Team Summitt, our Kickoff, and was a judge at our OKC regional.

Team 2424 Bixby Robotics is in the Archimedes Division. As all rookies are, they are feeling a little overwhelmed--but very excited. They have a Championship countdown on their website.

At the OKC and KC regionals, the veteran teams were placed on the ends of the aisles, and mixed in with the younger teams to provide guidance and help. It also helped the pit area to look more "balanced"--in other words, all the veterans weren't on one end of the pits with the cool pit displays, etc. When visitors/VIP walked thru the pit, it had an even distribution of veterans and rookies.

Whoever is near our rookie buddies 2424---they are great folks, get to know them, they are from a small town--look after them for us. We will check on them often too. The really neat thing about them, is that the kids wanted to do FIRST so badly, that they do most of the work. The teacher doesn't have to "herd" them at all--like many rookie teams. Their kids are really awesome--so like I said before--get to know them if you have the chance--they are really cool.

They had such an impact on their community that they were awarded the Engineering Inspiration award check out their website http://www.bixbyrobotics.org/