Robots to take center stage at 黑洞社区's Koch Arena Oct. 14

The 19th Annual Kansas BEST robotics competition, designed to inspire and motivate high school students toward careers in engineering, science and technology, will be held from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, in Charles Koch Arena on the campus of 黑洞社区.

Kansas BEST is sponsored by 黑洞社区鈥檚 College of Engineering. Admission is free.

Results will be available immediately after the event upon request. If you'd like the results Saturday afternoon, call Joe Kleinsasser, 黑洞社区 director of news and media relations, at 316-978-3013 or joe.kleinsasser@wichita.edu. You also can leave messages Saturday on his cell phone at 316-204-8266.

Thirty-two schools from Kansas will compete in the Kansas BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) event. This year's game is called "CROSSFIRE.鈥� The game involves the use of robots in fire emergencies. Competitors will design and build a robot to rescue a fire test mannequin, contain dangerous chemicals and extinguish flames during a three-minute match. The game will be played on a 24鈥� x 24鈥� field divided into three zones 鈥� the cold zone, hot zone and no-entry zone.

The sports-like technology contest combines the excitement of a high school football game with the strategy of a chess match and the intellectual challenge of a science fair. Working from identical kits, each team has had six weeks to design and build their robot.

The game includes an additional competition for the BEST Award to the team that best embodies the concept of Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology.

Participating schools are listed below:

Andale High School - Andale, KS
Andover Central High School - Andover, KS
Atchison High School - Atchison, KS
Augusta High School - Augusta, KS
Bishop Carroll Catholic High School - Wichita, KS
Campus High School - Wichita
Canton-Galva High School - Canton, KS
Central High School of Burden - Burden, KS
Circle High School - Towanda, KS
Council Grove High School - Council Grove, KS
Derby High School - Derby, KS
Ft. Scott High School - Fort Scott, KS
Garden City High School - Garden City, KS
Hayden Catholic High School - Topeka, KS
Kansas City Christian School - Prairie Village, KS
Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School - Wichita, KS
Minneapolis High School - Minneapolis, KS
Norwich School - Norwich, KS
Philadelphia Christian Academy - Park City, KS
Pike Valley High School - Scandia, KS
Riverbend International School - Atchison, KS
Rock Creek High School - St. George, KS
Rose Hill High School - Rose Hill, KS
Salina South High School - Salina, KS
Solomon High School - Solomon, KS
St. John's Military School - Salina, KS
Valley Center High School - Valley Center, KS
Washburn Rural High School 鈥� Topeka, KS
West Franklin High School - Pomona
Wichita Collegiate Upper School - Wichita
Wichita High School Southeast - Wichita
Wichita Homeschool - Wichita

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