(Fort McMurray, AB - June 6th, 2023) The Fort McMurray Public School Division (FMPSD) has been at the forefront of promoting STEM education in its schools. One such effort towards this end was the introduction of LEGO Robotics, an exciting and immersive learning experience introduced by FMPSD Director of Technology Ali Syed in 2011. Encouraged by the positive response, the FMPSD started organizing robotics tournaments to test the demand for such events in Fort McMurray. FMPSD robotics tournaments have been a resounding success, with students from different age groups and schools participating. The events have sparked a keen interest in STEM subjects amongst the students and encouraged past participants to pursue careers related to robotics and technology.
Director of Technology Ali Syed reflects on the tournament's evolution and its challenges' complexity.
“The tournament has always challenged students to problem solve using robots and coding while working in a time-sensitive challenge arena with a team of fellow students. Robotics challenges have evolved from simplistic “make your robot dance” to “follow a line” to finally “complete 15 challenges interconnected with each other”.
On June 3rd, the highly anticipated 10th Annual FMPSD Robotics Tournament took place, providing an exciting opportunity for 213 elementary and junior high students to showcase their STEM skills. Competitors participated in 15 challenges, each lasting 2 minutes and 30 seconds, with a new addition this year being ‘tag-team challenges’. These challenges promoted collaborative efforts amongst the teams, enabling incredible feats of creativity, problem-solving and coding accuracy.
“We’ve come a long way since 2011,” says Ali Syed. “We started with three teams and two schools and recently oversaw 213 competing students across 44 teams at our 10th Annual Tournament. The tournament is a testament to FMPSD’s dedication to providing innovative and engaging learning experiences for its students, preparing them for future challenges.”
LEGO robotics has formed the basis of the schools’ programming options and extracurricular learning opportunities. This tournament is part of an exciting STEM focus, including coding, invention fairs, and robotics; Judges awarded prizes for excellence in creative thinking, problem-solving, coding accuracy and teamwork. Overall, the tournament was a resounding success, further fueling over ten years of the joy of innovation and technological advancement amongst emerging young minds.
Congratulations to the 10th Annual FMPSD Robotics Tournament award winners:
Elementary MVP: Noah McNally (Beacon Hill Public School)
Elementary Rookie: Mia Breen (Westview Public School)
Junior High MVP: Judah Winter (Fort McMurray Christian School)
Junior High Rookie: Salma Samsam (Fort McMurray Islamic School)
Seasoned Coach: Graham Abbott (Beacon Hill Public School)
Rookie Coach: Thomas Andrews (Walter and Gladys Hill Public School)
Elementary Singles Tournament Champions
1st Place: Westview Champions (Westview Public School)
2nd Place: Robots Ambition (Christina Gordon Public School)
3rd Place: Beans N Cheese (Beacon Hill Public School)
Junior High Tournament Champions
1st Place: FMIS Sisters (Fort McMurray Islamic School)
2nd Place: FM AI (Fort McMurray Islamic School)
3rd Place: Solartron (Fort McMurray Christian School)
Elementary Tag Team Tournament Champions
1st Place: Techno Robots & Robots Ambition (Christina Gordon Public School)
2nd Place: Robos & Aperture Science Robots (Christina Gordon Public School)
3rd Place: Yellow Pickles & The Slay Pickles (Beacon Hill Public School)
Junior High Tag Team Tournament Champions
1st Place: FMIS Potato & The Goats V2.0 (Fort McMurray Islamic School)
2nd Place: The Sharks & Glizzy Gobblers (Fort McMurray Christian School)
3rd Place: Bee Blocks & Chicken Destroyers (Fort McMurray Christian School)
FMPSD’s robotics tournament has continued to inspire FMPSD students, educators, and the greater community, offering a rich and immersive learning experience in STEM education. The tournament provides an excellent platform for showcasing student creativity and innovation and drives progress towards a more technologically developed future for all.
Congratulations to all participants and award winners!
For additional information, contact:
Momin Syed
Communications Coordinator
Fort McMurray Public School Division
780-788-8009
communications@fmpsd.ab.ca