HL BEST Pictures

This is what you saw if you sat at the back of the stands on Game Day. It's a very busy, loud, and friendly environment.

Look at all of those coordinated projection screens! Reorganizing the Game Field multiple times prior to Game Day is a lesser known tradition of Heartland BEST volunteers!

A full day passed and the only exchanges made during this year's competition were two transmitters/receivers, two batteries, and one electronic speed controller. Simply put: that's amazing. Kudos to all of the teams and coaches for kit material maintenance.

Is the music inside you?

There's just something about loud music and a long day of robotics competitions that make you want to move . . .

Don't worry coaches, no pictures of all of you doing the Macarena have been posted here . . . yet.

Well, that's not what was danced to--but much loved respect was given to the leader in the striped shirt at the end of this dance number!

Heartland BEST came close to breaching the local ordinance defining the maximum number of times "YMCA" is allowed to be played in a single day!

For those new to BEST, the Pit Area is where robots are either worked on between matches or wait patiently for the next round of competition. This bot happily rests idling--no need for repairs this go around!

Our pit is at one end of the gymnasium; the game field is at the other. One projection screen (not visible here) is in the line of sight of the pit area so teams in the pit know who is "on deck" for competition.

. . . and why not? A spirited pit table only sets you apart from the others and might even keep your spirits up betwen matches!

That's what solving problems in engineering is all about!

Investigation of what appeared to be a faulty speed controller revealed greater issues with the mechanical operation of this robot's claw mechanism. It took some good old experimenting and control of variables considerations to figure this problem out.

Just another typical scene in the pit area--members of a team working together to improve their robot.

Seniors of this robotics team sign their robot at the close of competition. Is there a trophy case in mind for this bot's final destination?

All teams were eligible for this one-time special award to commemorate the 2005 World Year in Physics. A trophy, a book of Einstein quotes, several official 2005 World Year of Physics lapel pins, and an Einstein action figure mint in package (compliments of AAPT!) came to the winners of this award.

This is a picture of the arena prior to competition. It was empty and quiet . . . for a limited time!

This is the Alva HS robotics team in the pit during regional competition. Alva placed 10th overall in the game and won several special awards at Frontier Trails BEST.

This is the Lawton Academy of Arts & Sciences robotics team in the pit during regional competition. Lawton placed 12th overal in the game competition at Frontier Trails BEST.

This is the Perry MS robotics team in the pit during regional competition. Perry placed 5th overal in the game competition at Frontier Trails BEST.

This is the Shattuck HS robotics team in the pit during regional competition. Those bright colored hats were hard not to notice! Shattuck placed 4th overal in the game competition at Frontier Trails BEST.

All of the teams' chargers were at the back of the pit area during competition. All of the teams participating should be commended for adhering to the honor system!

Can you find yourself in the stands?

Alva HS took first place in the "Most Elegant" special award. You really have to see the spiral wheel turn to appreciate its elegance.

The successful Tulsa team from our friends at OK BEST did well, too! This is a picture of their luvable robot caddy that, like a good buddy, went wherever the robot went!

Perry MS gets their robot ready for competition. Perry qualified for the semifinals by placing 4th in the preliminary rounds. They then placed 5th in the semi-finals and did not advance to the finals.

Alva placed 10th in the preliminary round. They qualified for the wildcard round to advance to semi-finals, but did not advance past that round. (High notebook scores qualifies a team for the wilcard round.)

Shattuck HS placed 8th in the preliminary competition and so did not automatically advance to the semi-finals. However, they qualified for the wildcard round and won, so they ended up advancing to semis and eventually the finals. This makes a good argument for polishing up the content in those notebooks!

Unfortunately, we did not get a picture of Lawton on the game field--but look what they got! An autograph of the keynote speaker on their bot!!

You really had to be there to get this picture. As a reprive from watching mechanical devices for most of the day, this dance and cheer crew from Rose Hill spiced things up with dance everyone enjoyed!

A shared special moment for the four finalists. Shattuck HS (from Heartland BEST), were in the company of three teams from our friendly neighbors north; Kansas BEST.

With good sportsmanship abound, the four finalists part for final competition. Shattuck's robot is in the foreground.

It was not only possible, but some teams made exchanging boosters look easy. Here, two boosters are exchanged. The pink robot is from Rose Hill HS (from Kansas BEST). They won the most photogenic special award.

There's no doubt team members are concentrating on the task at hand here. In the background, you can see members of the Lawton team looking on--that's their "Heck Yes" banner.

2005 Photo Gallery (Mission to Hubble)