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Photo from GoFundMe.com The Waltrip High School robotics team celebrates following the Texas BEST regional competition on Nov. 12. The Rambots are headed to the state competition from Dec. 1-3.
Waltrip robotics team headed to state competition By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
Moving on It took overtime, but St. Thomas is headed to the TAPPS Division I state semifinal. See how they did it in this week’s playoff recap
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On display The Archway Gallery in Houston will feature sculpture and exhibition beginning Dec. 3. Check out Art Valet for the full scoop.
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When Waltrip High School freshman Cecilia D’Souza called robotics teammate Dylan Powis-Case to tell him the good news, it took a moment for it to sink in. The good news? Waltrip’s Robotics Team #1255’s robot had taken third place in the Best of Texas Robotics’ regional competition in the head-to-head battle, advancing their robot to the BEST of Texas Robotics state competition next month. The state battle will take place Dec. 1-3 at the Comerica Center and Frisco Convention Center in Frisco. The “Rambots,” as the team is known, will compete against more than 100 robotics teams from around the state “It was like 8 p.m. and I just called him and started freaking out – and he hadn’t heard yet,” D’Souza remembered with a laugh. “(We all) were freaking out. It was really just a roller coaster of emotions.”
Photo from GoFundMe.com A member of the Waltrip robotics team operates the team’s robot during the regional competition.
Her teammate echoed the sentiment. “I was just about to check my email,” Powis-Case said with a grin. The Waltrip robotics team’s feat might be all the more impressive seeing as nearly all of the team’s
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com
landan@theleadernews.com
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THE INDEX. Sports......................................................... 2A Church....................................................... 7A Coupons................................................... 8B Classifieds.............................................. 8A Food/Drink............................ 6A
See ROBOTICS P. 7A
Northside outreach program looking Heights Girl Scouts troop collects food for local families for help during holiday season By Landan Kuhlmann
Good vibes A laid back Korean Steakhouse recently opened in the Heights. Check out more food and drink news in this week’s Nibbles and Sips
almost 30 members are freshmen, meaning they had little to no engineering or robotics experience prior to building the robot which propelled them to the state competition. “Where I went to middle school,
we had basically no engineering studies at all,” Powis-Case said. “It was definitely a learning experience from the very beginning.” So over the course of about six weeks prior to the regional competition on Nov. 12, team mentor John Desaulos said the team spent about 30 hours conducting test after test, tweaking the robot time and time again to get it competition ready. And even then, its eventual success came as somewhat of a surprise even to those involved in its creation seeing as it was from a team with little to no robotics experience. Teams had to finish in the top six of each “hub,” which was essentially the regional competition. “There was a lot of excitement, and honestly a little bit of disbelief (when we made it to state),” Desaulos said. Powis-Case shared the thought. “We went into this competition expecting to get last or really close
As the Thanksgiving holidays approach, Jeannette Kolarik said leaders of Girl Scout Troop #122292 wanted a way to ensure families in need in their community could help celebrate the holiday along with everyone else. Enter Grace United Methodist Church in the Heights, and now more than a dozen local families in need were able to have a full Thanksgiving meal as the community celebrated the holiday earlier this week. “Around the holidays, it’s really important to let people know that they are not forgotten,” said Kolarik, a volunteer leader with Troop #122292. Over the last several weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday, Kolarik said the troop collected food donations including sides such as stuffing, cranberry sauce, and ingredients to help
Contributed photo Girl Scouts from Troop #122292 carry food donations into the Grace United Methodist Church food pantry. The troop recently collected food donations to be given to families in need this holiday season.
make all the sides necessary along with a $10 gift card to help cover the cost of a turkey. See GIRL SCOUTS P. 4A
A local recovery and rehab program is looking for additional volunteers and donations for its recovery center located in the local area this holiday season. Since 1995, Victory Family Outreach Ministry has offered a recovery and rehab program at 222 Royder St. in the Near Northside area for those struggling with addiction, depression, and homelessness according to its mission statement. Those seeking help can come in from anywhere, officials with the center said, especially around the holidays. And as it can be a trying time the organization is looking for volunteers to help with the program this holiday season. “Whether our residents walk in off the streets, are brought in by family, a friend, sometimes an employer, or even another church or pastor, we believe God is bringing them to Victory Family
to change their lives,” said Pastor Ronald Waggener, the director of the recovery center in Near Northside. When they are entered into the program, residents are entered in for anywhere from nine months to two years, according to Waggener. And residents typically stay at no charge, he said, as they are normally serving those who have lost their jobs/vocations and have “little or no family assistance” according See OUTREACH P. 4A