> Local News > News

«--back to story

Email: "Getting a charge out of science"
*To:		<--TO Email REQUIRED!
*From:		<--FROM Email REQUIRED!

KAHULUI — Even the grown-ups got charged up as two Maui high school teams created robots ready for action in this week’s FIRST in Hawaii Regional Robotics Competition in Honolulu.

“I found I really enjoyed it,” said Neal Shinyama, a manager of engineering at Maui Electric Co. and one of four mentors to the Baldwin High School team.

Mentor Wayne Axelson of Boeing said he became the envy of his colleagues as he mentored the Baldwin team on their venture with robotics.

“Engineering is about finding a way to do something. . . . It’s tremendous what you can do, and it was so fun doing it,” Axelson said.

Karen Yagi, also a Baldwin mentor and parent, said she envied the students in the project. “I wish we had this kind of thing when I was in high school,” said Yagi, a 1989 Baldwin graduate.

Like the mentors, students described their first-time experience with robotics as both meaningful and enjoyable. “It’s fun. It’s interesting, and I learned it takes a lot of teamwork,” said Baldwin’s Jennifer Vargas.

“We got a robot done,” Manda Tong said. “This experience made us closer. We can wave to each other now in the hall and talk outside the classroom.”

Maui High and Baldwin High robotics teams will join 23 other Hawaii schools from Oahu, Kauai and the Big Island, as well as 12 teams from the Mainland (West Virginia, Florida, New Jersey and California), to compete in the NASA/BAE Systems FIRST in Hawaii Regional Robotics Competition at the University of Hawaii Stan Sheriff Center. The event, which is open to the public, runs from Thursday through Saturday.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a volunteer-driven organization founded in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.

Based in Manchester, N.H., the nonprofit designs programs to motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge and skills.

Competing teams were challenged to solve a common engineering problem in six weeks using a standard kit of parts that included motors, batteries, a control system and a mix of automation components.

No instructions were given.

In this year’s challenge, “FIRST Overdrive,” students’ robots were designed to race around a track knocking down 40-inch inflated balls and moving them around the track, passing them either over or under a 6-foot, 6-inch overpass. Extra points are scored by robots positioning the balls back on the overpass before the end of the two-minute and 15-second match.

Both Maui teams successfully created a robot, which they have not seen since it was shipped in mid-February to Oahu.

“There really wasn’t any room for anything but innovation,” said Mighty Binonwangan, a Baldwin student who aspires to be an architect but has acquired a deep appreciation for science and technology.

“We pulled it together. Hopefully it works,” he said.

Baldwin’s lead teacher Hannibal Starbuck said the students still have some unfinished business to complete when they’re reunited with the robot they named “Burly” this week in Honolulu.

“We don’t know how it is going to turn out,” Starbuck said. “We’re going to have fun regardless.”

Teacher Keith Imada expressed appreciation for the mentors, particularly his former students — Wesley Ueoka and Ross Matoi — both employees of Textron who served as mentors to the Maui High team.

“They were willing to give up their family time to help us. I thought that was really cool,” he said.

Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona visited with the teams on the Maui Community College campus last week to cheer them on as they prepared to travel to Honolulu for the regional robotics competition.

Robotics is a critical component of the Linda Lingle-Aiona administration’s Hawaii Innovation Initiative because it engages students in science, technology, engineering and math education. The competition also provides students with teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking skills to better prepare them to continue their education and enter the work force.

“We need to get into this thought process that this is about developing our young people,” Aiona said to the Maui students, teachers and mentors. “You are the future. Just look at what you did in just six weeks. . . . This is special. This is really special.”

The Baldwin High School team members are Mighty Binonwangan, Alyssa Tamayo, Ashley Yagi, Hurby Daquis, Jennifer Vargas, Kelsey Nakama, Kristianne Agusto, Michael Agcolicol, Mathew Agcolicol and Kelsey Souza.

Baldwin teachers are Hannibal Starbuck, Gary Suter and Steve Harman. Mentors include Neal Shinyama of Maui Electric, Peter Konohia of Textron, Karen Yagi of Maui Computer Care, and Marlene Abut, a Maui Community College student.

Maui High School team members are Jon Asato, Nigel Delaney, Rozenna Magbual, Erica Nakamura, Taylor Nakamura, Lea Meliza Pigao, Joshua Racadio, Bryce Ribucan, Devin Tamashiro, Manda Tong, Norman Tong and Jess Walker.

Maui High’s teachers are Neill Nakamura and Keith Imada. Mentors include Wayne Axelson of Boeing, Dean George of

Maui High Performance Computing Center, Kyle Ginoza of Munekiyo & Hiraga, Ross Matoi and Wesley Ueoka of Textron, and Marc Takamori of Oceanit.

Winners in the Hawaii regional competition will qualify to represent the state at the FIRST robotics championships scheduled for April 17-19 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

• Claudine San Nicolas can be reached at claudine@mauinews.com.

 

Subscribe to The Maui News

Share: