BCS Advantage Magazine Special Edition #9 | Page 15

Koontz
Designs
Robot to
Fight Fires
The Rams proudly pose with their first place award.
By Benjamin Rickert, Communications Department
It was the innovation of Koontz Intermediate students that earned their robot a chance to compete in the N.C.
First Lego League state championships in January. On December 2, fifth- and sixth-graders calling themselves
The Koontz Battering Rams competed against 47 WNC teams in a battle of ingenuity using Lego EV3 technology.
According to the school, teams were presented with a wildfire watering problem, and students began
designing and testing a robotic solution in August. To better understand the task at hand, they asked
community partners like Captain Phillip Hensley from the Swannanoa Fire Department to help them
understand the challenges of fighting wildfires.
At the WNC regional competition, teams were evaluated on their innovative water solution project and
presentation, robot design, core values and teamwork skills. The Koontz Battering Rams won 1st place in
their presentation category which was accompanied by an explanatory skit, and they were among only 13
schools from WNC selected to compete at the state level at Greensboro’s AT&T University.
Susan Cohen, MD
Donna Page, MD
Leigh Dodson, MD
Eleanor Martin, MD
Calvin Tomkins, MD
Peter Leimena, MD
Ellie McCormac, PA-C
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