OMMS students participate in Opelika robotics competition

Several Oak Mountain Middle School students had success this past December at the SMS Robotics Competition in Opelika.

OMMS team 10740G, which includes Khaled Zuaiter, Ismael Choucha, Aaron Pendry, Henry Meads (not present at the competition) and Cade May, took home two awards: The Excellence Award and the Teamwork Challenge Award.

“This competition experience was amazing,” May said. “After a break lasting since Worlds in April (for competitions), this competition really catapulted me back into the high energy of robotics.” “This year has a lot in store for our team (10740G), and I hope to make it to and do well at Worlds once again this year, as we placed sixth place last year. Sometimes, I think our robotics program is vastly overshadowed by our school’s focus on athletics, but I believe after these many successful years in the robotics program, people will soon appreciate what we’re doing for the name of Oak Mountain.”

The Excellence Award is a top overall award that factors in the design, teamwork challenge and STEM project portions of the competition. The Teamwork Challenge Award is given based on the main game of the season. Both awards qualified the team for the VEX IQ Alabama State Championship in March.

Team 10740W, an all-girls team from OMMS including Elizabeth Shaw, Piper Watson and Rebecca Ehrbar, won the Design Award and Teamwork Challenge Award. The team also qualified for state.

Team 10740E — Logan Camp, Ethan Forrest, Carter Price, Mark, Emma, Chris, Nathaniel and Julius — won the STEM Project Award, thereby qualifying for the state competition. 

“There is nothing I love more than a robotics competition,” Shaw said. “They're full of energy and excitement. I like the smaller competitions, but sometimes I wish that more friends who aren't involved in robotics would come, such as with sporting events. We, team 10740W, qualified for State at our first competition of the year and hope to qualify for Worlds at the State competition. I can't wait to see where this year takes us!”

‒ Submitted by Cade May/Oak Mountain Middle School student.