'FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR NOTRE DAME PREP ROBOTICS'

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December 19, 2024

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here. 

School's youngest robotics participants score big at VEX IQ league finals last weekend with many qualifying for the state tournament in March.

Notre Dame Prep hosted the finals last Saturday, Dec. 14, of the Rapid Relay League – VEX IQ Robotics Competition ES Region 3 and they finished with a slew of awards, wins and accomplishments. 

The top award for the day, the Excellence Award, was earned by NDP's team 3333K - Alex Punches, Yana Riegel, and Peter Kapraun (all sixth graders). This award is for "overall excellence in creating a high quality VEX IQ robotics program." 

A total of 16 teams from grades three to sixth participate in the Rapid Relay League, Region 3: 10 from NDP, three from Cranbrook and three from Oakland Christian.

"Placing first overall after 12 qualification matches and third place in robot skills, 3333K was a contender for that top award," said Louise Palardy, science teacher and Notre Dame Prep's STEM specialist and manager of the school's robotics center. "They had a well-developed engineering notebook and an outstanding interview by the judges. This award qualifies them for the VEX IQ Michigan state championship to be held in March."

In addition, team 3333K was the second place finisher of the entire event with 47 points, Palardy added.

NDP's team 3333H (Allison Lester, Dylan Jonckheere, Jameson Sweeney and Jack Knapman) was named Teamwork Champions at the competition after earning a fifth seed during 12 qualification matches with an average match score of 18 points. 

"They went on to crush all previous scores with a total of 69 points in their finals match," Palardy said. "With this award, they also earned a spot in the VEX IQ state championship."

Team 3333H wasn't done yet, however, as they went on to win a judges award (the Innovate Award) as well. This award is given to a team that has the most novel aspect of robot design and having it well documented in their engineering notebook. Their novel idea, according to Palardy, was the use of pneumatics on their robot.

The third place finisher at the event was the alliance of team 3333G (Alex Hermiz, Michael Safir and Teddy Sierminski - all sixth graders) and team 3333N (Lorence Lucaj, David Heeringa, Max LaPoulas and Landon Putrus - all third graders) with 30 points and fourth place finishers were the alliance of team 3333Y (Nolan Qarana, Aksel McCormick and Andrew Abraham - all fifth graders) and team 3333P (Jonathon Opie, Alex Hufstedler and Nolan Rod - also all fifth graders) with 22 points.

A judges award also went to team 3333A (Isabella Stanek, Katherine Hustedler, Parker McCormick and Juliette Opie – all third graders). 

"The judges thought this team was a team to watch in the coming years," Palardy said. They also were super excited that their teacher Mrs. (Erica) Hurt came to the competition to cheer them on!"

Notre Dame Prep also had two teams tie for the highest programming skills scores of the league on Saturday, each with scores of 18 points: team 3333E (William Janka, Mason Jackson, Anthony Hermiz and Maxwell Cadet - all fourth graders) and team 3333A (Isabella Stanek, Katherine Hustedler, Parker McCormick and Juliette Opie).

NDP's top skills scores came from team 3333K, third place overall with 59 points and team 3333N, fifth place overall with 43 points. 

"I am super proud of these very young robot team members," Palardy said. "They made the whole season a success by their talent, enthusiasm and incredible dedication. The future is bright for Notre Dame Prep robotics!"

 

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndprep.org.