Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics - By the Numbers

Here it is the final day of 2013. This is a good time to reflect on this year while looking forward to that which is to come in 2014. So let us look at some numbers to see where we have been this year and where we want to go in 2014.

We are pleased that we had 10 teams to start and 10 teams to finish the BEST season with us in 2013. Our goal for 2014 is to expand to 14 teams.

We were excited to add two middle school teams to the competition for 2013, both of which performed admirably. Is there another middle school team out there that might become involved in 2014?

Though we thought we might catch up to Justin Bieber on Twitter followers, we are up to a somewhat respectable 58. Still not following us on Twitter? Make that your New Year's resolution.

We now have 100 "likes" on Facebook. Again, a great New Year's resolution. It's guilt free and does not require a gym membership.

Our website has become quite active, with nearly 1,500 page views in our peak month of September 2013. This is a great place to locate resources related to BEST year round.

So we didn't catch up to Bieber in 2013, but we did work with 10 awesome teams and watched the level of competition take a giant leap forward. We are looking forward to amazing things in 2014!

Gift Guide for Geeks

Reporter Lucy Berry of AL.com posted a Gift Guide for Geeks: 10 kid-friendly, last-minute presents to encourage STEM learning. Be sure to check it out as it contains some cool items!

And have a safe and healthy holiday season...

Merry Christmas from Northeast Alabama BEST

Everyone at Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics wishes the entire BEST family a blessed holiday season. We look forward to seeing you all accomplish great things in 2014.

#G8KPR More South's BEST in the News

Here is an article about South's BEST that was published in the Auburn Opelika News this weekend. http://www.oanow.com/news/article_4a63ddac-5fbf-11e3-a2d7-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=story

#G8KPR BEST Robotics in the News

Here is an article from AL.com about South's BEST, and specifically the Mobile-area teams that competed.

http://blog.al.com/live/2013/12/davidson_high_finishes_6th_in.html#incart_river_default

2014 Game Teaser Posted

Hi, everyone! The 2014 BEST Robotics game teaser has been posted for Bladerunner. Check it  out below:

#G8KPR South's BEST Robot Competition Rankings

Here is the entire list of robot game participants at South's BEST, in ranked order.

Team Number	School Name	Final Robotics Rankings	Hub	Primary Teacher
216	DARC	1	Tennessee Valley BEST	Susan Haddock
130	Merrol Hyde Magnet School	2	Music City BEST	Mike Marsh
38	Evangel Christian School	3	Blazer BEST	Stephen Daniels
374	Holy Cross School	4	NOLA BEST	Dale Turner
401	Marshall Technical School	5	NE Alabama BEST	Glenn Bruce
251	W.P. Davidson High School	6	Jubilee BEST	Jenny Parker
64	Starkville High School	7	Mississippi BEST	Denise Adair
48	Spain Park High School	8	Blazer BEST	Scottie Wilson
211	Academy for Science and Foreign Language	9	Tennessee Valley BEST	Angela Traylor
255	Mobile Area Coalition of Homeschools (MACH)	10	Jubilee BEST	Kendra Lane
129	Central Magnet School	11	Music City BEST	Marc Guthrie
345	Wicksburg High School	12	Wiregrass BEST	Mary Hudson
219	Lindsay Lane Christian Academy	13	Tennessee Valley BEST	Kathryn DeWitt
250	Faith Academy	14	Jubilee BEST	Sara LeCroy
158	Hope Academy	15	Central Alabama BEST	Diane Rogers
24	Springwood School	16	War Eagle BEST	Karlia Willis
408	Fyffe High School	17	NE Alabama BEST	Regina Parris
25	Wetumpka High School	18	War Eagle BEST	Virginia Vilardi
82	McNairy Central High School	19	Mississippi BEST	Robin York
108	Northview High School	20	Georgia BEST	Jason Weinberger
162	Talladega Career Tech Center	21	Central Alabama BEST	Joseph Huss
97	Fernbank LINKS	22	Georgia BEST	Debi Huffman
181	RCS Engineering	23	NW Alabama BEST	Lee Brownell
287	Woodham Middle School	24	Emerald Coast BEST	Carl Shouppe
318	Holly Pond High School	25	North Alabama BEST	Wilma Whateley
467	Demopolis Middle School	26	Shelton State BEST	Ashley Brock
242	Baker High School	27	Jubilee BEST	Jeannine Reeves
293	Woodlawn Beach Middle School	28	Emerald Coast BEST	Shannon Farrell
139	M.A.R.I.O.	29	Music City BEST	Chris Smith
272	Sweet Water High School	30	Jubilee BEST	Kevin Byrd
12	Lee-Scott Academy	31	War Eagle BEST	John Gill
42	Oak Mountain High School	32	Blazer BEST	Donna Strong
119	South Forsyth High School	33	Georgia BEST	Jim Chamberlain
186	Brooks High School	34	NW Alabama BEST	Alaina Pettus
344	Rehobeth Middle School	35	Wiregrass BEST	Thad Smith
40	Homewood Middle School	36	Blazer BEST	Mary Binkley
481	Tuscaloosa Christian School	37	Shelton State BEST	Nancy Robertson
313	Hartselle Junior High School	38	North Alabama BEST	Elisa Harris
294	Seaside Neighborhood School	39	Emerald Coast BEST	Courtney Krick
156	Episcopal Day School	40	Central Alabama BEST	Krista Ashley
19	Saint James School	41	War Eagle BEST	Vicky Eichelberg
431	Dallas County High School	42	Selma BEST	Glenn Walker
259	Monroeville Junior High School	43	Jubilee BEST	Jena Mayo
154	Central High School of Clay County	44	Central Alabama BEST	Becky Taylor
189	Muscle Shoals High School and Center for Technology	45	NW Alabama BEST	Kerry Johnson
523	Delhi Charter School	46	LATech BEST	Eric Vidrine
435	John T. Morgan Academy	47	Selma BEST	Judith Bonds
475	Northridge High School	48	Shelton State BEST	Victoria Evans
63	East Rankin Academy	49	Mississippi BEST	Angela Trigg
2	Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School	50	War Eagle BEST	Steve Ballard
66	Starkville Christian Home Educators	51	Mississippi BEST	Michael Lane
380	St. Scholastica Academy	52	NOLA BEST	Matt Lopez
502	McLane Robotics Engineering Academy	53	Florida West BEST	Michael Wilson
500	Strawberry Crest High School	54	Florida West BEST	Jim Brockman
93	Wheeler High School	55	Georgia BEST	Charles Hawkins
476	Northside High School	56	Shelton State BEST	Eve Kendrick

G8KPR South's BEST 2013 Results

Here are the complete results for South's BEST 2013 Gatekeeper:

BEST Award

1^st Place:  Wetumpka High School (War Eagle BEST)

2^nd Place: Fernbank LINKS (Georgia BEST)

3^rd Place:  Wicksburg High School (Tennessee Valley BEST)

Robotics

1^st Place:  DARC (Tennessee Valley BEST)

2^nd Place: Merrol Hyde Magnet School (Music City BEST)

3^rd Place:  Evangel Christian School (Blazer BEST)

Finalist:  Holy Cross School (NOLA BEST)

Middle School Awards

BEST Award – Woodlawn Beach Middle School (Emerald Coast BEST)

Robotics – Evangel Christian School  (Blazer BEST)

BEST Award – Category Winners

Marketing Presentation

1^st Place:  W.P. Davidson High School (Jubilee BEST)

2^nd Place: Starkville High School (Mississippi BEST)

3^rd Place:  Springwood School (War Eagle BEST)

Project Engineering Notebook

1^st Place:  Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School (War Eagle BEST)

2^nd Place: Fyffe High School (Northeast AL BEST)

3^rd Place:  Wetumpka High School (War Eagle BEST)

Team Exhibit and Interview

1^st Place:  Fernbank LINKS (Georgia BEST)

2^nd Place: Wicksburg High School (Wiregrass BEST)

3^rd Place:  DARC (Tennessee Valley BEST)

Spirit and Sportsmanship

1^st Place:  Brewbaker Technology Magnet High School (War Eagle BEST)

2^nd Place: Spain Park High School (Blazer BEST)

3^rd Place:  Oak Mountain High School (Blazer BEST)

Team Exhibit Design and Construction Award

1^st Place:  Lindsay Lane Christian School (Tennessee Valley BEST)

2^nd Place: Brooks High School (Northwest AL BEST)

3^rd Place: Marshall Technical School (Northeast AL BEST)

Special Competition Awards

Founders Award for Creative Design

1^st Place:  Fyffe High School (Northeast AL BEST)

2^nd Place: Hope Academy (Central AL BEST)

3^rd Place:  W.P. Davidson High School (Jubilee BEST)

Neptune Technology Group Most Elegant Robot

1^st Place:  Fernbank LINKS (Georgia BEST)

2^nd Place: Holy Cross (NOLA BEST)

3^rd Place:  Hope Academy (Central AL BEST)

Most Robust Robot

1^st Place:  Fernbank LINKS (Georgia BEST)

2^nd Place: DARC (Tennessee Valley BEST)

3^rd Place:  W.P. Davidson High School (Jubilee BEST)

Most Photogenic Robot

1^st Place:  Fernbank LINKS (Georgia BEST)

2^nd Place: Holy Cross School (NOLA BEST)

3^rd Place:  W.P. Davidson High School (Jubilee BEST)

Team Video

1^st Place:  Starkville Christian Home Educators  (Mississippi BEST)

2^nd Place: Sweet Water High School (Jubilee BEST)

3^rd Place:  Strawberry Crest High School (Florida West Coast BEST)

SolidWorks CAD Design Award

1^st Place:  W.P. Davidson High School (Jubilee BEST)

2^nd Place: Fernbank LINKS (Georgia BEST)

3^rd Place:  Merrol Hyde Magnet School (Music City BEST)

Web page Design

1^st Place:  RCS Engineering (Northwest AL BEST)

2^nd Place: South Forsythe High School (Georgia BEST)

3^rd Place:  DARC (Tennessee Valley BEST)

Game T-shirt Design

1^st Place:  Hope Academy (Central AL BEST)

2^nd Place: Homewood Middle School (Blazer BEST)

3^rd Place:  South Forsythe High School (Georgia BEST)

Best Team Mascot

1^st Place:  Talladega Career Tech Center (Central AL BEST)

2^nd Place: Lindsay Lane Christian Academy (Tennessee Valley BEST)

3^rd Place:  Wicksburg High School (Wiregrass BEST)

Briggs and Stratton South’s BEST Teacher of the Year

Debi Huffman – Fernbank LINKS (Georgia BEST)

Kevin Byrd – Sweet Water High School (Jubilee BEST)

Ashley Brock – Demopolis High School (Shelton State BEST)

Jim Westmoreland Memorial Judges Award

Don Bryant (Retired Teacher, Tallassee High School)

Dr. Virginia Davis (Dept. Chemical Engineering, Auburn University)

South’s BEST Volunteer of the Year

Justin Moses (Dept. Electrical and Computer Engineering, Auburn University)

Lucas Hunter (U.S. Army Research, Development, and Engineering Command)

The robot rankings will be posted tomorrow. 

# G8KPR Northeast Alabama Teams Excel at South's BEST

The two teams representing Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics performed exceptionally well at South's BEST, held in Auburn last weekend.

Fyffe High School, which advanced to South's BEST as the second place BEST Award team at Northeast Alabama BEST, took second place in Project Engineering Notebook and first place in Founders' Award for Creative Design. They finished a very respectable 17th in the robot competition.

Marshall Technical School, which took first place in robot and BEST Award at Northeast Alabama BEST, won third place in Team Exhibit and finished fifth in the robot competition.

Fifty-six teams from 18 hubs in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana and Florida competed.

Photo courtesy of Brian Gann

The staff of Northeast Alabama BEST Robotics could not be more proud of these teams, which represented us so well at South's BEST.

#G8KPR Watch South's BEST Live Stream

South's BEST takes place Saturday and Sunday. Those who can't make it to Auburn may watch a live stream online at http://www.southsbest.org/site/.

A schedule for the weekend is available at http://www.southsbest.org/site/files/ChampionshipSchedule.pdf

If you can't be there to cheer on our Northeast Alabama Teams, be sure to cheer them on through social media by using the hashtag: #G8KPR and on Twitter, mention @northeastalbest and @bestrobotics.

Fyffe High School and Marshall Technical School will represent Northeast Alabama BEST at South's BEST.

#G8KPR Article About 2013 Game Development on AL.com

AL.com today published an article about the development of GateKeeper 2013. Gatekeeper was developed by Jubilee BEST, headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. A link to the article is located here: http://blog.al.com/live/2013/12/regional_best_robotics_competi.html#incart_river_default

Congratulations to Jubilee BEST for this recognition. Creating the game challenge for BEST is a daunting challenge that takes many hours of work over the course of almost two years.

The teaser video for BEST 2014 will be unveiled at South's BEST this weekend.