Cape May County 4-H Robotics Club Participates at Underwater Robotics Competition

COURT HOUSE — The Cape May County Fuzzy Logic 4-H Robotics Club is participating at the 2017 SeaPearch Underwater Robotics Regional Competition, for 6th through 12th graders, on Sat., March 25 at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey.
4-H Fuzzy Logic Robotics Club members have been working all year building underwater robots. Two teams consisting of a total of seven members are representing Cape May County at the competition. The teams are: Triple Trouble – Josias Rodriguez, Michael Klein, and Keely Callaway and the Fuzzy Logic team of Sawyer Lomax, Jared Knights, and Hannah Seningen.
John Spriggs, Fuzzy Logic 4-H Robotics Club Leader, said, “The USCG Chiefs’ Club donated $300 to our club for the purchase of underwater robot kits, and our members have made great progress working with the robots navigating underwater and exploring the properties of buoyancy. We are so grateful to the Coast Guard Chiefs’ Club for their generous donation that made our participation in this year’s competition possible,” added Spriggs.
The SeaPerch Competition is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips teachers and students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Students build the ROV from a kit following a curriculum that teaches basic engineering and science concepts with a marine engineering theme. The SeaPerch Challenge engages middle and high school level students in robotics, science, mathematics, engineering and technology. The program serves as an introduction to naval engineering and challenges participants to build and refine a battery powered, underwater robot constructed of pvc pipe.
To-date, more than 100,000 students have participated in the SeaPerch program with over 6,000 mentors. The event is structured to give students an overall experience in the engineering process, and includes tests of Vehicle Performance, Team Presentation, Design Notebook and Spirit & Sportsmanship. Participants must build and refine the robot, pilot the robot through a series of underwater obstacles and challenges, create a company identity and marketing plan for their design, document their research and design in a team notebook and as a team present their proposal to judges. Throughout the project, students learn engineering concepts, problem solving, teamwork, and technical applications.
Although this is the club’s first year to try SeaPerch, the robotics enthusiasts have participated in various robotics competitions every year. Spriggs said, “We also decided to participate at the optional pre-regional competition so that we would have the opportunity to check and refine our game strategy in the pool and see what works and make necessary changes before the regional competition.”
The 4-H Fuzzy Logic Robotics Club is open to students in 4th grade and up from any school as well as homeschoolers. The 4-H Fuzzy Logic Robotics Club meets on Tuesdays from 3:15 to 5 p.m. at Cape Christian Academy. To join the club, call 463-5993.
4-H Youth Development Program is part of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and Rutgers Cooperative Extension. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K-13, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
For more information about 4-H activities and other opportunities for youth, visit cmc4H.com or call the Cape May County 4-H office at (609) 465-5115, ext. 605