2014 C-STEM Day Synopsis

The 4th C-STEM Day was held on May 31, 2014. This year it was expanded to two locations: UC Davis and UC Irvine. The 2014 C-STEM Day was organized by the UC Davis Center for Integrated Computing and STEM Education (C-STEM). The C-STEM Day at UC Irvine was co-organized by Coastline ROP.  C-STEM Program Manager Heidi Espindola coordinated the C-STEM Day at UC Davis site and Merry Kim at Coastline ROP coordinated  the C-STEM Day at the UC Irvine site. Enrique Lavernia, Dean of the  College of Engineering of UC Davis and C-STEM Center Director Harry Cheng  welcomed all participants including students, teachers, parents, judges,  and volunteers at UC Davis Pavilion.  Under leadership of  HP engineer Rex Schrader (Chief Judge for RoboPlay Competition),  Roger Nattkemper (Volunteer Coordinator),  and Intel C-STEM Volunteering Project Coordinator Srinivas Modekurty, more than 40 HP and Intel volunteers as well as volunteers from other companies at the UC Davis location served as judges for the RoboPlay Challenge Competition and the Math Programming Competition. Professor Debra Richardson, Founding Dean  of Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences at UC Irvine welcomed all participants at the UC Irvine site.

A total of 35 student teams participated in the RoboPlay Challenge Competition, with 28  teams at UC Davis and 17 teams at UC Irvine.  45 teams submitted their videos for RoboPlay Video Competition.

Congratulations to student teams from Orange County for their outstanding performance! For their first time participation on the C-STEM Day, they won the 1st and 2nd places for statewide RoboPlay Challenge Competition for middle schools, and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places for statewide RoboPlay Challenge Competition for high schools. The event at UC Irvine was well summarized below by Chris Harrington, Head Judge for RoboPlay Challenge Competition at UC Irvine, a former Vice President for Toshiba American Information Systems.

“Speaking I feel for all of us who were “first timers” at Orange County site, the day was amazing. We saw teams “bounce back” after disappointing starts, leaders  “take command” as the clock ticked, students and their teacher jumping in unison at a score, and some very competent teams that almost always knew exactly what to do. Obviously, technical skills in programming the bots was the official contest, and I think it teaches very well basic engineering values of achieving goals with precision and  accuracy, under time constraint, and sometimes against unpredictable obstacles.  As I said in my opening remarks, luck – good and bad – always shows up at competitions, invited or uninvited! The Judge Awards, in my opinion, are a superb complement to the technical scoring. We all know that “soft skills” are important in business, so recognizing those attributes gives stronger context to the competition. Finally, the video competition certainly added an artistic dimension, entering the realm of C-STEM.”  Click here for a video about the C-STEM Program in Orange County.

The C-STEM Day was concluded with the awards ceremony for students. Professor Harry H. Cheng, Director of the C-STEM Center presented  various awards to students  participating at the  UC Davis site for their exceptional work in C-STEM education and winners of the competitions. HP Manager Collette Adams presented the donation of a full class set of HP laptops each to district representatives, principals, and C-STEM teachers at the School of Engineering and Sciences in the Sacramento City Unified School District and  Elkhorn Village Elementary School in the Washington Unified School District at West Sacramento for their expansion of the C-STEM program.  These  two C-STEM schools with a large number of socially and economically disadvantaged students have successfully integrated the C-STEM program into their teaching and are in great need of computers for implementation and expansion of the program. The Sandia C-STEM Scholarship sponsored by Sandia National Labs were presented to graduating seniors at both UC Davis and UC Irvine sites.  Professor Debra Richardson at UC Irvine and Superintendent  Darlene Le Fort of Costline ROP presented the awards to students participating at the  UC Irvine site.

RoboPlay Competition

RoboPlay Competition is an open-ended design challenge. The goal of the RoboPlay Competition is to broaden student participation in computing, science, technology, engineering, and math (C-STEM) education with positive development for all students. There are two categories for RoboPlay Competitions: RoboPlay Video and RoboPlay Challenge. The RoboPlay Video Competition is completed within the classroom and submitted online. The RoboPlay Challenge Competition was held on the C-STEM Day. These robot competitions are open-ended design challenges that integrate math and computer programming with art, music, choreography, and design for practical real-world problem solving.

RoboPlay Challenge Competition The RoboPlay Challenge Competition is designed for K-14 students to showcase their real-world problem solving skills in a competitive environment. This competition simulates an unexpected problem occurring at a remote location such as a space station or planetary habitat, where a robotic solution must be quickly developed and deployed, using only existing resources. The competition challenges students to creatively use modular robots and accessories to complete various tasks. The competition arena and specific challenge will be kept secret until the day of the competition. Using their math, programming, and problem solving skills, students try to most efficiently get the highest score for each task.

More pictures for 2014 RoboPlay Challenge Competition. 

RoboPlay Video Competition RoboPlay Video Competition is designed for K-14 students to play with robots while exploring their creativity in writing, art, music, choreography, design, and film making and at the same time seamlessly learn C-STEM subjects. The handling of robot coordination between multiple modules and music requires not only teamwork in designing a well-organized visual performance but also the math and programming skills to produce the desired actions for robots. The competitions will enable students working in different interest groups to explore the basic concepts of C-STEM in conjunction with their artistic and music talents. To participate in the RoboPlay Video Competition, students create a video showcasing the unique capabilities of Linkbots and Mobots.

More videos for 2014 RoboPlay Video Competition

Math Programming Competition

The Math Programming Competition provides students in secondary schools with the opportunity to apply their fundamental computer programming skills for applications in mathematics. Being the gatekeeper to STEM careers, mathematics is necessary for all secondary school students. This competition challenges students to apply their programming skills to solve math problems at the levels of Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1. Students will use structured programming in C, including basic programming concepts such as variables, math expressions and operators, selection statements, and loops for computer-aided math problem solving.

C-STEM Awards

The C-STEM Awards recipients  were nominated by their teachers or school administrators and selected by the C-STEM Awards Committee consisting of UC Davis faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. Four types of C-STEM awards were presented at the ceremony.

C-STEM Award of Achievement The C-STEM Award of Achievement recognizes middle-school students for their demonstrated outstanding performance on computing and its applications in STEM subjects. An award recipient shall show great promise for continued education in computing or computing related STEM fields. The awards this year were given to

• Lucas Gen, California Middle School, Sacramento City Unified School District
• Lan Nguyen, Bridgeway Island Elementary School, Washington Unified School District
• Mallory Snarr, Bridgeway Island Elementary School, Washington Unified School District
• Jack Hargrove,  Bridgeway Elementary School, Washington Unified School District

Lucas Gen California Middle School Sacramento

Lan Nguyen Bridgeway Island Elementary School West Sacramento

Mallory Snarr Bridgeway Island Elementary School West Sacramento

Jack Hargrove Bridgeway Island Elementary School West Sacramento

GIRL’s Leadership Award The C-STEM GIRL’s Leadership Award  recognizes middle-school girls who have attended the GIRL camp and demonstrated an outstanding leadership and shown aspiration  for computing and robotics fields. Award recipients are selected by the C-STEM Awards Committee consisting of the university faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students.  The awards this year were given to:

• Kaylee Kazee, Leonardo da Vinci eK-8, Sacramento City Unified School District
• Malaysia Hilliard, American Canyon Middle School, Napa Valley Unified School District
• Vianca Hurtado, California Middle School, Sacramento City Unified School District
• Elisabeth Low, Sam Brannan Middle School, Sacramento City Unified School District

Kaylee Kazee Leonardo da Vinci eK-8 Sacramento

Malaysia Hilliard American Canyon Middle School American Canyon

Vianca Hurtado California Middle School Sacramento

Elisabeth Low Sam Brannan Middle School Sacramento

 

C-STEM Award of Excellence The C-STEM Award of Excellence recognizes high-school students for their demonstrated excellent performance on computing and its applications in STEM subjects. An award recipient shall be motivated and shows exceptional promise for pursuing post-secondary study in computing or computing-related STEM fields. An award recipient not only excels, but also helps others actively participate in computing and computing-related activities in STEM fields. This year’s C-STEM Awards of Excellence were awarded to

• Tianrui Guo, Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
• Joseph Dion, Fred C. Beyer High School, Modesto City School District
• Arturo Lupian, River City High School, Washington Unified School District
• Abijah Williams, River City High School, Washington Unified School District
• Russell Yu, Franklin High School, Elk Grove Unified School District

Tianrui Guo Northwood High School Irvine	Joseph Dion Fred C. Beyer High School Modesto	Arturo Lupian River City High School West Sacramento
Abijah Williams River City High School West Sacramento	Russell Yu Franklin High School Elk Grove

Sandia C-STEM Scholarship The Sandia  C-STEM Scholarship, sponsored by Sandia National Labs, is for college-bound seniors  for their exceptional achievement on C-STEM and pursuing computing related post-secondary study in a university. Each scholarship award is $500. Award recipients are selected by the C-STEM Awards Committee consisting of UC Davis faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. The following recipients were awarded this year’s C-STEM Scholarship:

• Jonathan Le, Northwood High School, Irvine Unified School District
• Kawah Yee, School of Engineering & Sciences, Sacramento City Unified School District

Jonathan Le Northwood High School Irvine

Kawah Yee School of Engineering & Sciences Sacramento

HP Laptop Donations HP Manager Collette Adams presented the donation of a full class set of HP laptops each to district representatives, principals, and C-STEM teachers at the School of Engineering and Sciences in the Sacramento City Unified School District and Elkhorn Village Elementary School in the Washington Unified School District at West Sacramento for their expansion of the C-STEM program. These two C-STEM schools with a large number of socially and economically disadvantaged students have successfully integrated the C-STEM program into their teaching and in great need of computers for implementation and expansion of the program.

Heidi Espindola, Collette Adams, Matt Turkie, Dylan Besk, Rex Shrader, Joe Stymeist, Harry Cheng School of Engineering & Sciences Sacramento City Unified School District

Heidi Espindola, Collette Adams, Lisa Smith, Carmen Wright, Rex Shrader, Kimberly Harrison, Harry Cheng Elkhorn Village Elementary School Washington Unified School District

More information about the HP laptop donations

Winners of the Regional Competition at UC Davis

Winners of the RoboPlay Challenge Competition for Middle Schools 

1st PlaceTeam Name: Erudite Jack Hargrove Chloe Looc Maia Dua Kelly Riedel Kari Tran School: Bridgeway Island Elementary Adviser:  Megan Schoellhamer

2nd PlaceTeam Name: Turtle Girls Katrina Cole Malaysia Hilliard Ima Tapaoan Sara Jahangiri Leanna Bonalba School: American Canyon Middle Adviser: Tammy Lee

3rd Place Team Name: Four and a Half Men Jalen Bautista Alexander Garcia Emmanuel John DeLeon Jonathan Estrada Joshua Logan School: American Canyon Middle Adviser: Tammy Lee

Winners of the RoboPlay Challenge Competition for High Schools

1st Place Team Name: The R.E.T’s Abijah Williams Jordan Criswell German Gonzalez Cristian Barrett Arturo Lupian School: River City High Adviser:  Dubarrie Fagout

2nd Place Team Name: LHS Code Academy Team 2 Emma Kristovich Christine Cummings Ajan Adriano Steven Herman School: Livermore High Adviser: Susan Johnston

3rd Place Team Name: Big Bawts Kawah Yee Josh Anderson School: School of Engineering & Sciences Adviser: Ryan Mangan

Winners of the Math Programming Competition

1st Place Pre-Algebra Team Name: Team Jupiter School: School of Engineering & Sciences Adviser: Dylan Besk

1st Place Algebra Team Name: Team Diana School: Bridgeway Island Elementary Adviser: Megan Schoellhamer

Winners of the Regional Competition at UC Irvine

Winners of the RoboPlay Challenge Competition for Middle Schools

1st Place Team Name: C.A.R.L. School: Corona del Mar Middle Adviser: Daniel Leedy

2nd Place Team Name: P5 Alive! School: Costa Mesa Middle Adviser: Mark Smith

3rd Place Team Name: Cyber Bots School:  Tewinkle Middle Adviser: Yassi Motamed and Terry Kling

Winners of the RoboPlay Challenge Competition for High Schools

1st Place Team Name: C++ Men School: Northwood High Adviser:  Kimberly Hermans

2nd Place Team Name: T-Wolves School: Northwood High Adviser: Kimberly Hermans

3rd Place Team Name: WiFighters School: Corona del Mar High Adviser: Peter Shelby

Winners of the Judge Awards

Perseverance Award Team Name: Proud C++ Students School: McPherson Magnet Adviser: Glen Warren

Spirit Award Team Name: C.A.R.L. School: Corona del Mar Middle Adviser: Daniel Leedy

Teamwork Award Team Name: Cyber Bots School:  Tewinkle Middle Adviser: Yassi Motamed and Terry Kling

Winners of  the Statewide Competition

Winners of the Statewide RoboPlay Video Competition for Middle Schools

Best StorySchool: California Middle Video Title: The Undead’s White House Siege	Best Custom PartSchool: California Middle Video Title: The Under Dog	Most Interesting TaskSchool: California Middle Video Title: LinkZilla IV
Best Choreography School: McPherson Magnet Video Title: Working the Play	Best Computational Thinking School: Costa Mesa High Video Title: Thriller	Best Overall Video School: Costa Mesa High Video Title: Thriller

Winners of the Statewide RoboPlay Video Competition for High Schools

Best Story School: Golden West College Video Title: Harmless Robot	Best ChoreographySchool: Franklin High Video Title: MultiLinkbot Dance – The Lion Sleeps Tonite	Most Interesting TaskSchool: School of Engineering & Sciences Video Title: Linkbot Ali Comercial Parody
Best Custom PartSchool: School of Engineering & Sciences Video Title: Mecanum Linkbot Interlude	Best Computational ThinkingSchool: Luther Burbank High Video Title: Titean Toys	Best Overall VideoSchool: School of Engineering & Sciences Video Title: LinkbotAli Comercial Parody

 

Winners of the Statewide RoboPlay Challenge Competition for Middle Schools

1st Place Competition Location: UC Irvine Team Name: C.A.R.L. School: Corona del Mar Middle Adviser: Daniel Leedy

2nd Place Competition Location: UC Irvine Team Name: P5 Alive! School: Costa Mesa Middle Adviser: Mark Smith

3rd Place Competiton Location: UC Davis Team Name: Erudite Jack Hargrove Chloe Looc Maia Dua Kelly Riedel Kari Tran School:  Bridgeway Island Elementary Adviser: Megan Schoellhamer

Winners of the Statewide RoboPlay Challenge Competition for High Schools

1st Place Competiton Location: UC Irvine Team Name: C++ Men School: Northwood High Adviser:  Kimberly Hermans

2nd Place Competition Location: UC Irvine Team Name: T-Wolves School: Northwood High Adviser: Kimberly Hermans

3rd Place Competition Location:  UC Irvine Team Name: WiFighters School: Corona del Mar High Adviser: Peter Selby