OMEGA: Rising Stars

MOSCOW—Boundary County Middle School Team OMEGA competed at the First Lego League on Jan. 14, and brought home the Judge’s Choice award -- Rising Star trophy.

Judges recognized OMEGA’s 20-student team as future robotics professionals that they expect great things from.

Thirty-three North Idaho teams competed at the event held at the University of Idaho in Moscow.

“They will not go on to nationals,” Robotics coach Jacob Garrison said, “but they did an amazing job and they exemplified the core values that the judges look for. The students are the ones being judged -- how they work as a team and as a unit. Our kids showed their stuff. They looked like professional, handled themselves very well, even when they had tech issues and robot problems, not only were they able to work as a team to fix the problem mid competition, but they made it better than what they came in with.”

Garrison said he has never seen or worked with a group of students that were able to problem solve the way Team OMEGA did and be so successful.

He said he believes that they won because the students knew every part of the program themselves and they knew what they were doing from the start.

Coach Jaak Sanders agreed.

Rising Star is a trophy for teams that have overcome some sort of obstacle during the course of the competition.

“And we had a couple of obstacles,” Sanders said, “but instead of crying and giving up, coach Garrison got them focused. The judges took notice of how they pulled it together as a team and successfully overcame the situation.”

The judges also appreciated the fact that the student chose a project that would benefit the community.

OMEGA’s qualifying project had to assist animals in some way.

Students discovered that there was a problem with the use of pesticides to control mosquito populations, especially damaging to domestic bees. Keeping mosquito population down is important due to the deadly Vika virus, however the pesticides were harmful to domesticated bees.

After in depth research, Team OMEGA concluded that the answer was to increase bat populations, localizing their habitat to specific areas where they were needed to control the pesky mosquito populations.

Team members researched habitats that encourage bat populations and decided to create ‘bat houses’ where they could rest in a safe and secure environment.

“This was a low tech answer to a modern problem,” Sanders said.

The original plan involved using highway billboard signs and areas for these ‘houses.’ Eventually, OMEGA scaled the houses down to measure about 2 1/2 feet by 2 1/2 feet, and about 4 inches deep.

So far, Team OMEGA has given three bat houses away to local bee farmers and have generated such an interest that they have received three more requests.

The houses will be given to people who are either beekeepers or individuals who live near a wetland or other prime mosquito habitat.

“These recipients are just as excited as we are,” Sanders said. “We do not (yet) know how successful this project will be, but we have generated interest in the idea,” Sanders said. “The team will continue to build, and set these houses . . . and we’ll just see how successful this project is.”

As far as Team OMEGA receiving the Judge’s Award - Rising Star trophy, Sanders said, “I thought back to the high school team’s first regional award, in Portland,” Sanders said.

“They went into this competition without any clear idea of what to expect, or really what would be required to become one of the winners.

They came back with the “Rookie Inspiration” award, based on the positive impression they made on the judges. I really hope some of the same feelings rub off on team OMEGA”

Sanders said the program’s goal is to expand into two teams, and to start one at the elementary school.

“The very first high school team sponsored us and I want to pay it back,” Sanders said. “They paid the initial fees for us and basically made sure we had no excuse to not start our own team.

I think this program that will do well in this county and our community. These kids are true problem solvers.”

For more information about how your child can participate, contact Jacob Garrison at 208-267-5852.