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2016 SESSION

16105730D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 184
Offered March 2, 2016
Commending the Ridgeview High School robotics team.
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Patron-- Pillion
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WHEREAS, the Ridgeview High School robotics team from Dickenson County won the 2016 FIRST Tech Challenge Virginia state championship as part of an alliance of three schools who competed for the state title; and

WHEREAS, Squatch Watch, the name of Ridgeview High School’s robotics team, joined teams from Lynchburg and Crozet to win the competitive and hard-fought robotics competition, which was held on February 13, 2016, in Doswell; and

WHEREAS, the Ridgeview High School robotics team was founded earlier in the 2015 - 2016 school year—soon after the consolidated high school in Clintwood first opened its doors; the team was formed in September and members immediately began working on the robotics challenge; and

WHEREAS, the FIRST Tech Challenge is open to students in grades six through 12; participants build and program robots to complete assigned tasks and achieve a high score, and the competition also requires students to keep meticulous records of the building process and the ways in which they help other teams; and

WHEREAS, one of the goals of the FIRST Tech Challenge is to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics; students work collaboratively over several months to fulfill the requirements of the competition; and

WHEREAS, the Ridgeview High School Squatch Watch robotics team first won the Southwest Qualifier, which was held at Southwest Virginia Community College; after the victory, three members of the Squatch Watch robotics team volunteered to help at another regional competition, and the group also made parts for three other robotics teams; and

WHEREAS, at the championship event, the Ridgeview High School Squatch Watch robotics team faced 51 other talented competitors; with the state title, they now advance to the Eastern Super Regional Competition in March, where they will be part of a field of 72 teams who come from schools throughout the East Coast; and

WHEREAS, the Ridgeview High School Squatch Watch robotics team, which is ably coached by Chris Owens and four assistants, received support from many people, including family members, friends, fellow students, and the faculty and staff at the school, all of whom pitched in to help the hardworking students realize their dream; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Ridgeview High School robotics team hereby be  commended for winning the 2016 FIRST Tech Challenge Virginia state championship; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Chris Owens, head coach of the Ridgeview High School robotics team, as an expression of the House of Delegates’ congratulations and admiration for the group’s hard work and outstanding accomplishment.