18A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 8, 2015
Polk County Schools/Education
Dallas High robotics team to
compete on worldwide stage
SCHOOL NOTES
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — At the begin-
ning of the year, the mem-
bers of Team ramRod, a Dal-
las High School robotics
team, told coach Lee Jones
they were going to qualify
for the world championship.
“I chuckled a little bit,”
Jones recalls of his reaction.
After all, that should be
the goal of every team at the
start of the season.
This team, seniors Ben
Rounds, Jake Shryer and
Jacob Reimer, was serious
about those lofty expecta-
tions, even though this is
their first robotics season.
“We had a steep learning
curve,” Shryer said. “We had
to learn as much as we could
from other teams, copy what
they were doing.”
Perhaps it’s an under-
statement to say they are
quick learners, because now
they are the first team from
Dallas High to qualify for the
VEX World Championship.
This year the competition is
held in Louisville, Ky., start-
ing on April 15.
Early in the season, they
didn’t know how challenging
their goal was, but as the year
progressed, so did the team.
Jones said it isn’t just be-
ginners’ luck with these
guys. He said many teams
begin building their robot in
September for the first com-
petition in December and
don’t make many changes
after that. Team ramRod
wasn’t satisfied with version
1.0 of its robot.
“They are always improv-
ing, building, evaluating what
could be better,” he said.
Another of the team’s
strengths is collaborating
with other teams during
competition.
Teams have to form al-
liances during tournaments,
so evaluating other team’s
strengths isn’t just good
competitive strategy, it’s the
Concert to raise money for band trip
INDEPENDENCE — The Central High School band will present
“New Orleans: Birthplace of American Music” in support of its
upcoming tour to New Orleans.
The concert will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The evening will feature live music from Central’s Jazz Band,
Western Oregon University’s all-star tribute to the band Cake,
and the Symbiotic Quintet.
A silent auction will feature autographed CDs, hotel resort
and weekend getaways, musical instruments and other items.
Tickets are $10 and available at Central High.
For more information: Ed Propst, epropst@central.k12.or.us.
Kinder registration opens Saturday
INDEPENDENCE — A districtwide kindergarten registration
fair for Central School District will be on Saturday from 10 a.m.
to 1 p.m. at the Henry Hill Educational Services Center in the
gym.
The center is located at 750 S. Fifth St., in Independence.
Students and families will be able to register for kindergarten,
eat lunch, receive a free book, meet the kindergarten teachers
and receive a T-shirt from their new school. All children turning
5 years old by Sept. 1 are encouraged to sign up for kinder-
garten.
Parents should bring their child’s birth certificate and immu-
nization record, if possible.
For more information: Central School District office, 503-838-
0030.
Dragon Run returns on Saturday
DALLAS — Registration is open for the eighth-annual Dragon
Run which takes place Saturday.
The Dragon Run is a fun run with proceeds supporting the
Dallas Education Foundation. The event is open to runners or
walkers of all ages with various distances: ¼ mile, ½ mile, 1 mile
and 1 ½ mile or 3.1 miles. Races begin at 10 a.m.
The cost is $20 for the 3.1-mile run and $15 for all other dis-
tances. There is a group discount of $3 per runner for groups of
four or more if forms are turned in together.
The course runs between LaCreole Middle School, Whitworth
Elementary School and Dallas High School. Each distance is as-
signed a starting point along the main course.
For online registration, visit www.run-sign-up.com/DragonRun.
For more information: http://www.dsd2.org/DragonRun.
Tickets on sale KVCS PTO auction
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Ben Rounds, front, Jake Shryer, center, and Jacob Reimer run a demonstration of their
robot Monday night during Dallas’ city council meeting.
key to success.
“You have to have a good
partner to do well,” Reimer
said.
Team ramRod chose its
collaborators well in its last
two tournaments, a qualify-
ing competition held at Dal-
las High School, followed by
the VEX Robotics State
Championship, where it was
part of the winning alliance.
Reimer described state
competition as “intense.”
“It was a make or break
moment for us,” Reimer
said. “It was our last compe-
tition — nerve-wrecking, but
fun.”
The team expects worlds
to be just as stressful as
state, if not more so.
“There’s always some-
thing happening,” Reimer
said. “If we are not compet-
ing, we are working on our
robot. If we are not doing
that, we are scouting other
teams.”
As far as competition is
concerned, the team isn’t
sure what to expect. The
best teams and robots from
throughout the world will be
there.
The trio, and Jones, wants
to be sure to take a break
from competition to check
out the different designs and
strategies.
“I’m really excited to see
robots from everywhere,”
Shryer said. “I’ve never done
anything like this.”
See VEX, Page 17A
KINGS VALLEY — Tickets are now available for Kings Valley
Charter School Parent-Teacher Organization Great Outdoors
Dinner and Auction.
The fundraiser is scheduled for May 2 at Corvallis Elks Lodge,
1400 N. Ninth St., Corvallis. Tickets are $16.50 per person.
Contact Glenda Bush or Jennie Wilder at the KVCS office, 541-
929-2134 to purchase tickets. To purchase tickets online, go to
kvcstop.org.
To see items that have been donated, go to kvcstop.org.
Inkblot to host poetry slam April 15
DALLAS — Dallas High School’s literary publication, Inkblot,
is hosting a poetry slam Wednesday (April 15) from 6 to 8 p.m.
The slam will be in DHS’ Little Theater, 1250 SE Holman Ave.,
Dallas and is open to poets of any age and skill level. Competi-
tors will be scored and given feedback by judges.
For more information: www.facebook.com/InkblotLiterar-
yArtsMagazine.
See SCHOOL NOTES, Page 17A