Local Student Involvement
FIRST Robotics Competition: $1000.00
The Section gave $1000.00 to
Proviso Mathematics and Science Academy, and their
Monty Python Robotics Team. For a background on the team,
Click here (PDF File)
The FIRST Robotics Competition Midwest Regional is an intense
three-day competition showcasing robots developed and operated by dozens of high
school teams from all over the world. The Midwest Regional was first held in
1997 at William Rainey Harper College in Palatine, Illinois with 38 teams
attending. Since that time it has grown to be one of the most competitive
regionals in the country, with many of its winners going on to win the
Championship Event. The Midwest Regional's goal is to show that science and
engineering can be exciting and fun by providing a spectator-friendly
competition environment that has the feel of both a major sporting event and a
rock concert, complete with special lighting, music, a large video wall, and
energetic announcers. The 2008 Midwest Regional will be on February 28, 29, and
March 1 at the UIC Pavilion. The Midwest Regional is one of the longest running
regionals in the country! (www.usfirst.org)
Future Cities Competition: $500.00
The Chicago Section, provided $500.00 as an additional award during the
competition.
The ASME-Chicago Section award went to the best "mechanical system" design.
Stone Scholastic Academy won for a lift that transported their citizens to
different levels in their model. Their model was called "Arsia Monscity" after a
volcano on Mars. It was an internal city within the crater. It was very unique
design.
On January 26, the Chicago Regional was held at UIC; one highly ranked team
now moves to the national competition in Washington, DC (February 21 – 23). (www.futurecity.org,
www.futurecitychicago.org)
Here is a background on the competition.
The Future Cities competition attempts to challenge middle school students
with questions that could face them when they enter their engineering careers.
Using simulation software, student teams create a “city of the future” which
they then translate into a physical scale model. Descriptive essays and
presentations require not only writing ability, but verbal ability as well. | 
