2011
Robotics team heads off to world competition
T y C larke __________________
"We spent over 18 hours a
week working on it and met
five times a week," Rachel
Nelke, junior, said.
The competition to receive a
spot in the World competition
was held in Portland on March
24-26. Robotics competitions
rely heavily on luck of
the draw. ***mm». At
Rarely does a team from
West Linn and Wilsonville
make it to a world competition.
Rarely does a team receive 3,000
dollars from NASA. However,
Error Code Xero is not just any
team.
Consisting of 25 Wilsonville
students and six West
Linn students, the team
started its season on
Jan. 8. On this date,
teams all around the
world were given the
challenge: a two
minute game
consisting of
hanging inner
tubes in order
Photo by Rachel Nelke
on different
Ryan Bunn and Erik VonEggers, seniors at
leveled pegs
and deploying Wilsonville, work to construct their robot. Error
Code Xero, a robotics team consisting of Wilsonville
a mini robot
.
.. .
and West Linn students, will be heading to the
that climbs up a World competition in S t LouiS/ Mo on April 27 - 29 .
pole. They had
six weeks to
competition, teams are
construct a robot. Error Code
randomly paired up to create
Xero consists of four sub teams:
"alliances." These teams have
a market, mechanical, electrical
not worked together before,
and programming team. The
and the fate of the alliance is
group spent large amounts of
held equally in both team's
time working together.
hands. A bad draw can
drastically affect the team,
as was made evident in the
competition for Error Code
Xero.
"The first day of competition
in Portland was qualifying.
We had some really bad luck
and were never on a good
alliance so after the first day
of qualifying we were ranked
30th out of 58 teams," Nelke
said. "The top eight teams
choose two other teams to go
with them for final elimination
matches in alliance selection.
The third ranked team chose
us to go with them. We won
quarterfinals and semifinals
and then lost in the final match
because our alliance members'
robot stopped working."
This failure in the finals led
to a second place for Error Code
Xero. According to Nelke, the
team was disappointed because
only first place teams are
allowed to advance to Worlds.
However, the team was about
to be very surprised.
After announcing all of
the first place finishes, the
Engineering Inspiration Award
was announced. The team
received 3000 dollars from
NASA to held fund the entry
fees to worlds. As Nelke put
it, this award is "better than
winning the Finals." Following
the disappointment of the
second place finish, Error Code
Xero learned they had won the
Engineering Inspiration Award.
The team would be going to
Worlds after all.
Only four West Linn
students will be going to
Worlds: Lance Sheeley,
freshman, Nelke, Jackson Carter
and Rahul Gates, juniors, will
be travelling to St. Louis, Mo. to
compete from April 27 to 30.
Wells earns Eagle Scout rank
"W h e n you b e g in Boy
Scouts, you learn valuable
concepts and take them in,"
Taylor Wells, senior, said. "As
you go through Boy Scouts,
you begin to take that learn
ing and use it to prepare for
life and evolve as a person."
Wells made a commitment
that has threaded its w ay
throughout his life. This year,
Wells ascended to the rank of
Eagle Scout in Troop 149 of
West Linn. With the ceremony
still to come in June, he will
have his defining m oment in
which his accom plishment is
honored.
Last summer was a busy
one, to say the least for Wells.
scouts as I was taught," Wells
said.
Wells began with the scouts
in elementary school when he
joined the Cub Scouts. As the
years have passed, his com
mitment has developed along
with his personal accomplish
ments. W hether serving as an
instructor in tomahawk les
sons or as a future counselor
at Camp M erriwether on the
Oregon Coast, opportunities
now present them selves to
allow him to teach others.
Within Troop 149, Wells
has involved h im self in a
variety of projects including
his position as a youth com
m ittee chair for Relay for
Life, in which he was able to
P90X provides effective results for all
M ary E arp
From acting in school plays
to participating in clubs, it can
often be hard for teenagers to
find ways to keep in shape.
Along with the difficulty of a
taxing schedule, many run into
problems of finding a workout
that shows real results. P90X, a
90-day workout program, may
be just the solution.
"P90X is a regiment
video workout series that
incorporates flexibility exercise
with endurance, fat burning
and cardio training," Toran
Almodovar, junior, said.
P90X, created by Tony
Horton, exercise instructor,
comes with 12 discs, each with
a different workout focusing on
a different area of the body.
//rThere are more cardio
based DVDs and more weight
training DVDs/' Aidan Poor,
junior, said. "The weight
training DVDs have smaller
breaks between exercises."
Along with the DVDs, P90X
also comes with a diet guide
with three phases. Phase One,
"shredder," consists of a high-
protein diet with a minimal
amount of carbohydrates
to jump-start fat loss. Phase
Two, "booster," starts more
carbohydrates in the diet,
along with a balance of protein.
The third phase, "maximizer,"
suggests an athletic diet.
"It's really hard to stick to
the diet strictly," Poor said. "It's
a lifestyle change, and if you
aren't ready to make it, then it
can be hard."
Almodovar has also tried
out the P90X program. He
didn't follow the program
partake in physical activity.
strictly, though he still saw
satisfying results.
"I didn't do the dieting
portion of the program, so it
could be harder if you're doing
it for weight loss," Almodovar
said. "My experience was
difficult but satisfying."
The program has been said
to be very difficult, though it is
easily adjustable to your needs,
according to Poor.
"The DVDs are really
hard, though you aren't
He also suggests starting the
diet before starting the actual
program because it can be a
fairly drastic change.
The program has been
shown to be very effective
by Poor, though only if you
persevere. Consistency is key
during P90X, according to
Almodovar and Poor.
"Mainly just j stick to the
J program; it
can 1 do wonders
f toucan
ceep up
with the
daily
routine,"
Almodovar
said. "It doesn't
do much for
you if you push
it really hard one
day and then take a
few days off."
"If you do your
best, stick to the diet
and push yourself
during workouts,
will be in the best shape
you
of your life," Poor said.
All you need for the
program is the set of DVDs and
a set of dumbbells or resistance
bands. The videos cost three
monthly payments of $39.95,
though are less expensive on
craigslist.com. The program can
be done inside your own house,
no gym membership required.
For more information about the
program along with success
stories, the science behind it
and ordering information, visit
the official P90X website at
beachbody.com/P90X.
Photo by Emily McNabb
Rheid
Heska-
Mcjannet and Sara
Frank, sophomores,
try out the P90X "Core
Synergistics" video.
P90X has provides
a manageable
exercise program and
reported fantastic
results.
expected to keep
up," Poor said. "It's a
'do-at-your-own-pace'
workout."
Many of the exercises have
been classified as intense by
Poor, though they are able
to be modified. For example,
pull-ups are easily modified by
using a chair for support.
If interested in the P90X
program, there are many ways
in which you can ready yourself
for the intensive program.
"Anyone can do this
program," Poor said. "You may
want to prepare if you aren't in
good shape right now."
Poor suggests starting mild
exercise before the program if
you currently don't currently
Photo courtesy of Jeff Wells
Taylor Wells, senior, casts a line before setting up a camp site
with Scout Troop 149 on a trip near Bend. Wells’ experience in
Boy Scouts has included many experiences ranging from outdoor
adventures to volunteer work in the community culminating in
his achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout.
Not only was he preparing his
community service project for
Troop 149, but he was also
acting out a rite of passage.
By traveling to Washington
D.C. over the summer for a
Boy Scout jamboree held at
Fort AP Hill in Virginia, he
spent his last few days before
his 18th birtthday m eeting
scouts from all over the na
tion. W hile on the east coast,
Wells also visited family he'd
never before met before in his
life, adding to the euphoria of
the experience.
"It was an incredible ex
perience to travel to AP Hill.
It w as great m eeting new
friends and uniting w ith lost
family," Wells said.
One indication of Wells'
connection with people from
scouts all over is the assort
ment of Boy Scout patches he
was able to trade with people
from Hawaii, Alaska and New
York, to nam e a few.
"W hen I was in Cub Scouts,
I looked up to the older high
school students, but now I see
m yself taking their place and
I now get to teach younger
lead Troop 149 to raise the
second largest amount of the
teams participating. Among
other activities, Wells spent
m onths preparing his own
community project by help
ing his church community to
plan and im plement a project
to improve and work on its
garden.
Along with his extensive
service to the community, his
activities include throwing
javelin, shot-put and discus
on the track and field team,
playing intram ural basket
ball, working w ith the base
ball team and continuing his
hobby of photography within
and outside of the school. Next
year, Wells plans on attending
Portland Community College.
Wells is set on following
throu gh w ith his lifelo n g
commitment to the Scouts and
hopefully continuing to apply
what he has learned.
"He has gained so many
valuable lessons about lead
ership, frien d sh ip, en g ag
ing in the com m unity and
about him self,” Suzane Wells,
mother, said.