Warrenton-Hammond ROV team showcases robotics work, students say program shaped career plans

Mrs. Lent introduced the Warrenton-Hammond ROV teams and showed the board a video of the team's performance at Worlds, handing each board member a ceramic ornament made by a student. Student speakers told the board how the program developed skills: "ROV has helped me with public speaking and shown me career opportunities," said Dalton Wallace. Team members said the program taught electronics, programming, marketing and graphic design and helped some students identify career paths in engineering and computing.

During questioning from Director Mark Simonsen, students described technical changes since last year: internal frame reduction to increase motor power, two articulated claws (one newly added), an "AI eye" for image recognition and Ethernet control using a game controller or phone instead of a large control box. Micah Larson said the team is working on a buoyancy simulation and data-visualization platform to speed testing; this year the challenge will simulate planting coral in a pool. Mrs. Lent invited board members to visit Tuesday night practices and alternating Saturday sessions at the middle school.