Delighted pupils from the Stevenage’s Nobel School couldn’t hide their chuffed grins on Friday when they spoke to the Comet ahead of their trip to California to take part in an international Robot Rumble competition.
The team of children from Years 10 to 12, jetted off yesterday, to show off their self-built robot Jeeves and pit it against robots from other schools in a series of competitive tasks.
The team won a place in the finals of the competition which take place at Viewpoint School in Calabasas, after triumphing in a Stevenage tournament set up by missile systems firm MBDA earlier this year.
The competition will be held at the prestigious school which has the coveted Blue Ribbon status.
When they spoke to us the team were sporting specially made T-Shirts which feature the names of a whole range of local businesses who sponsor them on the front, and nicknames for each pupil on the back.
Teacher Bob Lovelock who is leading the team, said: “We’re very excited about it.
“We’re going to be going into the school for a day to pair up with their students and study some subjects.
“They’ve got a robot laboratory and we are going to have the Thursday to use it to tweak our robot and set it up for the tasks it has to do in the competition.”
The team had a practice competition in Coventry recently and whilst they came last, Bob said they learnt some very important lessons.
After the competition on the Saturday the team will enjoy some free time and hope to visit Universal Studious, Santa Monica Pier and a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company restaurant.
Bob said: “We’re going to give it our best shot, but for me, it’s all about life experience for the pupils.
“It’s about learning about what’s available to them when they leave school and it’s about their personal development.
“It’s about the fact that if we work hard there are rewards that come from doing well.
“The pupils get to meet new people and to work together as a team. It’s a great opportunity for them.”
Team sponsors include MBDA, ByBox Ltd, Rotary Stevenage Grange, Stevenage Community Trust, rhg insurance brokers, your future your ambition and Dahlia the Beauty Lounge.
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