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MHSS named Best Rookie at 2012 Tagisang Robotics

Malayan High School of Science (MHSS) Robotics Team, Team Sindak, Best Rookie Team at the 2012 Tagisang Robotics: Design, Build, and Play, together with principal Dr. Efren B. Mateo, administrative officer Ferdinand R. Geronimo, Physics and Robotics teacher and team coach Dhonny P. Bacuyag, paid a courtesy call on House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and AGHAM representative Angelo Palmones (center, L-R) at the House of Representatives last November 28.

The Malayan High School of Science (MHSS) Robotics Team, Team Sindak, was named Best Rookie Team at this year’s “Tagisang Robotics: Design, Build, and Play Competition” held recently at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

Together with Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center (NFSDC), the Science Education Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-SEI) organized the “Tagisang Robotics,” an annual varsity-type competition, to promote robotics among the youth.

In this year’s competition, the aim of the participating schools was to design and build robots that could play in a modified football game that used three different kinds of balls to score. The team with the most points at the end would win.

Team Sindak, led by team leader Lloyd Garrison Ong, toppled 11 other rookie schools in the competition after it was selected by the top four teams to enter the semi-final round and compete with them due to its 5–1 win–loss record and its good goalie skills.

The pure metal and polycarbonate plastic exterior of Team Sindak’s robot, named Jumbot, worked to the team’s advantage, as it was indestructible throughout the elimination and semi-final rounds, said Ong.

The Team Sindak members also used a design similar to the Dark Knight Rises’ Batmobile, saying Jumbot’s curved edges would enable a bigger clearance upon turning.

“I told my team right from the start that I wasn’t expecting anything out of this tournament. I just reminded them to do their best because that’s all that we could do from this point on. We just focused on building an equally awesome robot that could withstand all rigors of the competition and the rest, we left it up to God,” he said.

Although a huge adjustment in school had to be made by the team in order to stay focused on their task, Bianca Arreola, a member of Team Sindak’s technical group, admitted that it was all worth it, as they were able to bring honor to their school.

“Finding time to build our robot and to prepare for the competition was probably one of the biggest challenges that we’ve faced as a team. We also knew that the entire school had high expectations of us going in to the competition since we were the first batch, but this is our legacy. For us, winning this competition is our way of thanking MHSS for all the teachings and values that they have instilled in us,” she explained.

Dhonny Bacuyag, Team Sindak’s coach and a Physics and Robotics professor, added that MHSS is now determined more than ever to strengthen its pursuit of becoming a center of excellence in science and technology.

“This win sends out a message that MHSS is deeply rooted in the field of science and technology. This is what we stand for. The fact that we were able to produce students who can achieve this level of success in their first year of joining such competition proves how serious we are in tapping our students’ scientific inclinations,” he said.