Local high school robotics team has another successful qualifier

SUBMITTED PHOTO The Gazette
The team and mentors after competing at Frozen Frenzy with their 1st Place Promote Award trophy. Left to Right, Back row: Ted Wilder, Jordan Shultz, Rodrigo Delagado, Xavier Miller, Carl Hahn, Mike Schneider, Bob Abele. Front row: Isaac Kubatzke, Loretta Woodard, Garrett Schneider, Katherine Woodard, and Heather Schneider.

Turtle Tek, a local FIRST Tech Challenge robotics team, recently had their second Qualifier of their rookie season.

This team of homeschooled and Beloit Memorial students consists of Jordan Shultz, Rodrigo Delgado, and Xavier Miller from Beloit Memorial High School; and Isaac Kubatzke, Loretta Woodard, Katherine Woodard, Carl Hahn, and Garrett Schneider, all of whom are homeschooled students.

Students come from Beloit and Clinton, Wisconsin, and Poplar Grove and Winnebago, Ill.

Turtle Tek competed at their second qualifier, Frozen Frenzy, held in St. Francis on Feb. 17-18. They were awarded the second place Think award for their engineering process.

This judged award is given to the team that best reflects the journey the team took as they experienced the engineering design process during the build season.

The engineering content within the portfolio is the key reference for judges to help identify the most deserving team.

They were selected as the Inspire Award 3rd place winner.  The Inspire Award is given to the team that best embodies the ‘challenge’ of the FIRSTTech Challenge program and is the highest award.

The team that receives this award is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs and a role model FIRST team. They are a top contender for many other judged awards and are a gracious competitor.

Turtle Tek considers it an incredible honor to be recognized as an Inspire Award winner for the second time this season. Only 15% of teams in Wisconsin have been recognized as Inspire Award winners, less than 7% have been recognized twice.

Turtle TEK won the Promote award for submitting a video on the chosen topic, “How did we learn about FIRST?” The Promote Award is given to the team that is most successful in creating a compelling video message for the public designed to change our culture and celebrate science, technology, engineering, and math. Teams must submit a one-minute-long public service announcement (PSA) video based on the PSA subject for the season. You can see their Promote video on their YouTube channel, Turtle TEK FTC Robotics.

Turtle Tek will next compete at the Wisconsin State Championship tournament on March 11 at Kress Center on UW Green Bay campus.  The event is open to the public and will be an exciting day of robotics competition.

Turtle Tek is sponsored by Hendrick’s CareerTek, DeWALT, Wisconsin DPI Robotics Grant, and DEKA.  The team is incredibly grateful to these companies for their support, in particular to Hendrick’s CareerTek for the practice space and funding for the season.  The team would also like to thank their mentors Bob Abele, Erik Rozolis, Nathan Wilder, and Ted Wilder for all the time they have given to help the team learn.  The team is coached by Heather and Mike Schneider.

For more information or to help sponsor Turtle Tek, please email [email protected].