Clinton schools STEM teams perform well at international underwater robotics competition

The Daily Telegram
·2 min read
Clinton Middle School Team Dandruff, from left, Jacob Pizio, Broden Manchester and Cole Hillegonds and Clinton High School OceanPerch Team Brian Ferree, Jaren Settles, Robert McDonald and Gabe Manchester took part in the 2023 International SeaPerch Challenge hosted May 13 by the University of Maryland.
Clinton Middle School Team Dandruff, from left, Jacob Pizio, Broden Manchester and Cole Hillegonds and Clinton High School OceanPerch Team Brian Ferree, Jaren Settles, Robert McDonald and Gabe Manchester took part in the 2023 International SeaPerch Challenge hosted May 13 by the University of Maryland.

COLLEGE PARK, Md.— Two Clinton Community Schools science, technology, engineering and math teams competed May 13 at the 2023 International SeaPerch Challenge hosted by the University of Maryland.

Both teams performed well among a field of 1,347 teams from 29 states and seven countries, a news release from Clinton Community Schools reported.

Led by teacher Ron Schaffner, the Clinton High School OceanPerch Team of Jaren Settles, Robert McDonald, Brian Ferree and Gabe Manchester as well as the Clinton Middle School Dandruff Team of Jacob Pizio, Cole Hillegonds and Broden Manchester, led by teacher Mike Krauss, qualified to compete at this event by winning the Michigan Regional SeaPerch challenge in March at the University of Michigan.

The Clinton High School OceanPerch Team, from left, of Brian Ferree, Jaren Settles, Gabe Manchester and Robert McDonald was chosen to give a presentation of their experience in the engineering process and design of their underwater robots during the 2023 International SeaPerch Challenge on May 13 at the University of Maryland.
The Clinton High School OceanPerch Team, from left, of Brian Ferree, Jaren Settles, Gabe Manchester and Robert McDonald was chosen to give a presentation of their experience in the engineering process and design of their underwater robots during the 2023 International SeaPerch Challenge on May 13 at the University of Maryland.

This year marked the first time a team from Clinton Middle School qualified for the international event. Team Dandruff did not disappoint. The highlight of the team’s performance was a fourth-place finish in the obstacle course, a mere 0.06 second out of the third-place trophy finish.

Team OceanPerch from Clinton High School is made up of mostly freshman, so this was their first experience competing at the international level.

Despite some mechanical failure and troubleshooting, OceanPerch managed to score high in the pool events out of a very large and competitive field.

Both teams were chosen to give presentations of their experience in the engineering process and design of their underwater robots.

This is the fifth year in a row that Clinton Community Schools has qualified teams for the international challenge.

Clinton High School Team OceanPerch, from left, Jaren Settles, Robert McDonald, Gabe Manchester and Brian Ferree designed a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to travel quickly and skillfully through a series of five underwater hoops at varying angles as well as transport rope rings attached to PVC rods and PVC cubes to a platform. Points were earned by placing the ROVs on stations of increasing degrees of difficulty.

The SeaPerch challenge consists of a technical design report, team video, and pool course challenges including a hoops obstacle course and a mission challenge. Teams were provided with a stock kit of materials including polyvinyl chloride (PVC) parts, an electric controller with a tether, flotation devices, three motors with waterproof cases and other miscellaneous items.

The teams designed a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to travel quickly and skillfully through a series of five underwater hoops at varying angles as well as transport rope rings attached to PVC rods and PVC cubes to a platform. Points were earned by placing the ROVs on stations of increasing degrees of difficulty.

The technical design report documented the process of designing, testing, evaluating and repeating the process until arriving at the final product.

This was the first year a Clinton Middle School team reached the international competition. Team Dandruff with parents and coaches (left to right): Ted Pizio, Jerry Manchester, Mike Krauss, Cole Hillegonds, Broden Manchester, Jacob Pizio, Kurt Hillegonds, Natalie Manchester and Dawn Pizio did not disappoint. The highlight of the team’s performance was a fourth-place finish in the obstacle course, a mere 0.06 seconds out of the third-place trophy finish.

“A great deal of support from Clinton Community Schools made this opportunity possible. The teams are extremely grateful for the support of the school board, Superintendent Kevin Beazley and principals Katie Bennett and Katie Richardson as well as Carol Wahl, Karen Perez, Jack Hartung and George Ames with their help with finances, transportation and materials,” Schaffner said in the release. “Without their contributions and encouragement, the magnitude of this experience would not have been possible.”

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Clinton schools teams compete in international underwater robotics