Culture | October 12th, 2016
By Ben Haugmo
benhaugmo@yahoo.com
The NDSU annual Bison BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology) Robotics competition was started to encourage middle school and high school students to become interested in engineering, science and technology careers.
Before the main competition kicks off, community members are invited to preview submissions during Mall Day this weekend.
Each Bison BEST competition has had a different theme, and this year, robots will be designed to perform agricultural tasks.
At Liberty Middle School in West Fargo, a team of 86 students is designing a robot that will harvest vegetables, plant seeds, and corral pigs. The aim is to complete as many tasks as possible within three minutes.
Michael Stecher is a science teacher at Liberty Middle School. Together with teachers of other subjects, he has helped to emphasize the interdisciplinary aspects of competing for Bison BEST.
“What we’re doing as teachers,” said Stecher, “is tying agriculture into all four of our classrooms, making this an interdisciplinary project. In my class, in science, they’re learning about growing lettuce and what plants need. In math, they looked at scale models of building a robot and conversions. In language arts, they’re working on the engineering notebook itself.”
The team at Liberty Middle School is organized as distinct departments. One team is working to build the robot, but there are many other processes involved in preparing for the competition. One team has to code the robot, another has to build the playing field that the robot performs its tasks on, and yet another team works on outreach and getting the word out to the public.
“The competition says ‘Hey here’s your task, do it,’” said Stecher, “so we figured the best way to do the task with 86 students is break them up into specific departments and have them each have their role. It’s kind of like a company, and I would say we’re bigger than most companies in Fargo.”
The main competition will be held in two weeks at the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse at NDSU, but anyone interested in previewing the robots at work can come to West Acres this weekend.
YOU SHOULD KNOW
Bison BEST Mall Day
October 15
West Acres Mall
January 15th 2025
December 26th 2024
December 19th 2024
December 19th 2024
December 18th 2024
__293px-wide.jpg)
__293px-wide.jpg)
_(1)__293px-wide.jpg)
__293px-wide.jpg)
By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…
By HPR Staff We’re all a part of building strong, healthy and inclusive communities. But the region’s non-profit organizations do a lot of the heavy lifting. Now it’s time for these organizations to step into the spotlight.…
Saturday, March 15, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County, Hjemkomst Center202 1st Avenue N., MoorheadLet’s be real, Irish culture is on everyone’s mind in mid-March, so why not expand your horizons and…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com 2025 marks us halfway through the roaring 2020s. Boy, am I glad I didn’t bob my hair for this go-around. It feels like we’re off to the wrong roar, opening Pandora’s box of what-the-Fox…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comLennon: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can!”On January 8, 2025, Timothy W. Rybeck of “The Atlantic" magazine published “How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days” with the…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com As a food enthusiast, there’s nothing better than attending a local event featuring hotdish. And as far as hotdish events go, no place does it better than the fine folks at Brewhalla and Drekker…
Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Writer/director/performer Katarina Zhu’s feature debut “Bunnylovr” premiered to mixed reviews in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Despite the lack…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Everyone has heard the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” However, it is safe to say there are far more than a thousand in Mickey Smith’s photographs. When one hears…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…
By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…
By Gilbert Kuipersgilbertkuipers@outlook.com I live in North Dakota District 24 and have been challenging the district Republicans about their understanding of climate science for years. There has been no serious response to my…