Iron Pride Displays High-Tech Creations To County Council
WARSAW — Coming off a demonstration for the Kosciusko County Commissioners in July, Wawasee High School’s prized robotics team, the Iron Pride, presented several robots to the Kosciusko County Council at the panel’s monthly meeting Thursday, Aug. 9.
“Some members from the county council saw us provide a demonstration for the county commissioners and felt like it would be great to have us at their meeting as well,” said Jed Wandland, coach for the team. “It’s an honor to attend both sessions.”
Wandland said the team has been making the rounds displaying their creations on the heels of some hefty accomplishments in the world of high school robotics.
“We have been celebrating because all 10 of our robotics teams qualified for the Indiana VEX Robotics State Championships, and from there, two of those teams, 574C and 574F qualified for world championships,” he said. “Then, at world championships, 574C earned third place in the Robot Skills Challenge. There are about 10,000 VEX Robotics high school teams in the world — 600 of those teams from 40 nations qualified for world championships. So it’s an incredible accomplishment to attend and perform so well.”
Several of the team members, including Micah Rassi, made presentations to the council. “It stacks cones,” said Rassi, demonstrating a robot he operated with the help of his brother Evan. The robot picked up a small version of street cones and stacked them into one stack. “It’s built, programmed and driven entirely by a team of students,” he said.
The council watched with interest as the students demonstrated their various robots. When it was completed, council member Joni Truex was given the controls and operated the robot.
Another robot was programmed to launch a projectile and a paper wad was used to demonstrate the machine’s skill.
“Thank you very much for being here,” said council president Sue Ann Mitchell. “We’re so proud of you and in what you have accomplished.”
In other business, the council:
- Approved an additional appropriation for Redevelopment Dreyfus TIF for infrastructure and major improvements for $111,614.
- Approved an additional appropriation for the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department for vehicle repairs and maintenance for $2,075.55.
- Approved an additional appropriation for County Administrator Marsha McSherry for employee health insurance for $19,500.
- Approved fund transfer requests from County Highway Department Superintendent Scott Tilden.
- Approved a salary ordinance presented by Joetta Mitchell, Kosciusko County Recorder.
- Approved a fire grant request by County Auditor Michelle Puckett for $61,860.