Oak Mountain teams find success at VEX Worlds

Robotic teams from both Oak Mountain Intermediate School and Oak Mountain Middle School can both claim the title of “World Champion” after winning awards in two major categories at the 2017 VEX IQ Worlds Robotics Competition.

The two winning teams were part of five teams from the two Oak Mountain schools that took part in the worldwide competition. They were part of an elite group of 750 elementary and middle school teams (out of 18,000 registered VEX IQ teams from around the world) invited to compete at the event, held in Louisville, Kentucky, April 23-25.

Team 10740J “The Mighty Midgets” from OMIS won the Design Award for the Elementary School Math Division. Team 10740G “The Nerd Herd” from Oak Mountain Middle School won the Teamwork Challenge in the Middle School Science Division. “The Nerd Herd” went on to complete in the finals match, where they ended the competition ranked Sixth in the world.

Members of the “The Mighty Midgets” OMIS team are Carter Austin, Mabrey Whitehead, Alivia Wylie and Rebecca Tautkus (who was not able to attend Worlds). Members of “The Nerd Herd” OMMS team include Khaled Zuaiter, Ismael Choucha, Aaron Pendry, Cade May and Henry Meads.  

The teams are led by teachers Rebecca Austin and Sherri Whitehead, who was named the VEX IQ Teacher of the Year at last year’s Worlds competition.

“To be ranked sixth competing against teams from countries all over the world is quite an accomplishment,” said Dr. Larry Haynes, principal at Oak Mountain Middle School.

Pat LeQuier, principal at OMIS, said her students’ success shows that practice and perseverance pay off and is a great example of students having a growth mindset.

“This year we have focused on the importance of deliberate practice to improve performance,” said LeQuier. “For Alivia, Carter and Mabrey, winning this global competition is evidence of their willingness to work diligently over time to improve not only their design but to strengthen their problem-solving skills too!”

“At OMIS, teachers and students often remind each other that the learning is in the struggle and we celebrate progress as we work toward targeted goals,” LeQuier said. “In this specific competition, our team of fifth-graders worked together to document their ongoing learning, adjust to improve their outcomes and kept their focus on creating their personal best design. Their success is an awesome example for all of us of how persistence, receptiveness to constructive feedback, and dedication to working toward a long-term goal over time can have amazing and rewarding results.”

– Submitted by Cindy Warner, Shelby County Schools.