For starters, haven’t we had absolutely gorgeous weather this week—blue skies stretching from horizon to horizon and perfect temperatures. Who knew November could be so pleasant! Although in the back of my mind lurks the warning that all of November may not be so amenable. I suspect the cold will be back and with a vengeance. They say it is another El Nino year, which means strange storms along the West Coast which can translate to weirdness in the Rockies, and who knows what kinds of weather systems will drift our way. I’ll watch your back if you’ll watch mine.
Speaking of backs, there are people on horseback all around town this weekend. Well, maybe that would not be news, but there are many MORE people on horseback in Alva this weekend. NWOSU is having its rodeo. Some 500 contestants will be vying for bragging rights and prizes. Did you know that the Northwestern Rodeo team (more than a hundred strong) took seventh place at the National College Rodeo Championship last year? That the rodeo season lasts all school year long? Think about the challenges. These fine athletes not only have to keep themselves in competition shape but also care for their animals and keep them ready and trained for competing from August to June. Care for and train their animals, do college work, chores, maybe hold down a job (you think this is a cheap sport?), and then travel hundreds of miles each year from one college rodeo event to another. Definitely a challenge! And no A, AA, AAA designations—we compete head to head with the rodeo teams of all the other colleges, no matter size or budget. And, my friends, we do WELL!
Of course, it is somewhat humorous that suddenly I have started using the word “we” talking about the rodeo team. I do not do well on horseback, but I as supporters of NWOSU and members of this community, the rodeo team is definitely yours, mine, and ours.
Speaking of yours, mine, and ours—Alva once again has a BEST robotics team. If you do not know about BEST, it stands for Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology. In 1993 two engineers from Texas Instruments began a program to encourage students to consider science and engineering as a career. They began a contest that would combine the excitement of a high school basketball game with the rigor of robot building. A heady mix, that!
NWOSU got involved in 2002. It serves as a hub or contest center. Middle and high school students form teams (one to a school system) and the hub provides all the material necessary to build the robot. There is each year a particular challenge or series of actions the robot must accomplish. There is a game field and robots meet in matches to see whose can do the best at accomplishing the specified goals (collecting objects, flipping switches, moving game pieces, building things). The whole thing takes only six weeks from reveal of the challenge and receiving of the parts to game day and the winner. From early in September to the end of October, robots are designed, re-designed, build, tried out, and competition occurs. It is great fun.
I have been one of the judges for five years now and I look forward to it each year. The Math and Science departments of the college pitch in and do all the work necessary for the contest to happen, from raising the $20,000 or so necessary to fund the activity (the cost is free for teams, all robot parts provided—their only cost is getting here and feeding and housing students who travel from as far away as east of Tulsa and down near the Texas border) to building and supervising the playing field, and putting together the kits for each team.
Young people’s lives are changed by these games; students who had never before considered science and engineering as possible careers find the exhilaration of designing a robot, building it, and discovering that it can actually do the assigned tasks to be a wonderful experience. And after a few years away from the game, Alva is back in it! They did a great job this year and will do even better next. Congratulations to Dr. Venkata Moorthy and his group of middle and high school students! Good job!
Next year, when the game day is coming up, I will give you warning, we need to show up and cheer them on, You will love the excitement of the event. Some schools bring their bands and their mascots. Let us also go all-out in support of these, our students, who may be the engineers and scientists of tomorrow! Go Team!
