Volume 2019-07 / July 2019
Rocky Mountain BEST Volunteer Newsletter
Rocky Mountain BEST's 10th Year !
LOOKING BACK over the years ...
2014 + 2015 Games
BEST Game Field
Teams are tasked with completing the following objectives:
  1. Acquire an OSOW permit and relocate Prairie Chicken Environments.
  2. Transport turbine blades and assemblies to the construction location.
  3. Install transported components on turbine towers.
  4. Set assembled turbines upright.
  5. Expand blades to final position.
Each team is assigned a triangular portion of the field that is divided into a component stockpile area and a turbine assembly area. Travel between the two areas can be accomplished by either traversing a section of bad road or by crossing a bridge. Gates must be opened to cross the bridge and an Over-Size Over-Weight (OSOW) permit can be obtained by triggering a switch located next to the bridge.
Within the assembly area, there is a small turbine tower and a large turbine tower. Both towers begin in a horizontal position and are connected to a rope and pulley system that allows the towers to be brought into a vertical position where they will latch in place. The large turbine assembly includes the nacelle and blade hub while the small turbine consists only of the tower and base portion.
BEST Game Field
Pay Dirt is based in the world of mining ore. Teams are tasked with repairing their mineshaft while they extract valuable minerals from the interior of the mine.
Each team has its own mineshaft that consists of multiple “levels” that eventually connect to a common level in the center of the mining complex. Levels may only be accessed by passing through tunnels and minerals and other mine components may only be moved between levels through the tunnels. Tunnels are represented by wooden frames and mine levels are designated by wooden borders that represent the rock walls of the mine (and therefore cannot be crossed). 
Each robot starts at level 0 which is also where the scoring bins are located. To score points for a mineral, it must be retrieved and placed into the correct location or bin at level 0. The value of the minerals found at each level increases as the mine level increases.  
The scoring values in effect at the start of the competition can change from a “market shift”. Other activities that also score points are related to mine maintenance at levels 1 and 2 and the retrieval of core samples located at level 3. 
In addition to helping the driver with directions and strategy, the spotter is allowed to interact with the minerals under very specific rules. 
2019 BEST Logo
2019 OFF THE GRID Game - SCHEDULE

We will be bringing the OFF THE GRID game created by BEST Robotics Inc. and Texas Instruments to Colorado schools this fall.

PLEASE SAVE THE DATES.

TEAM SUMMER TRAINING
Electronics Workshop (IR Sensor) -
  • Saturday 3 August @ Seventh Street Classroom Building MSU Denver
Email me at Linda.King@bestinc.org to get more information on supporting this training.

OFF THE GRID FALL COMPETITION
Kickoff Event - 
  • Saturday 14 September
  • STRIVE Prep - RISE 18250 E 51st Ave, Denver, CO 
  • Look for the Volunteer SIGNUP Link in the AUGUST NEWSLETTER
Practice Day Event - 
  • Saturday 19 October
  • STRIVE Prep - RISE 18250 E 51st Ave, Denver, CO 
Game Day Event - 
  • Saturday 26 October 
  • Auraria Event Center Downtown Denver
BEST Robotics OFF THE GRID Game Teaser Video
OFF THE GRID Competing Schools

We continue to sign up schools for our 2019 OFF THE GRID game competition.

Please ask interested teachers to go to this link to signup to compete in the fall competition

  1. 5280 High School * / Denver
  2. Abraham Lincoln High School / Denver
  3. Aurora Frontier P-8 / Aurora
  4. Aurora Quest / Aurora
  5. Bishop Machebeuf High School / Archdiocese of Denver
  6. Broomfield HS / Boulder Valley
  7. Columbine Middle School / Montrose
  8. DSST: Byers / Denver
  9. Monarch High School / Boulder Valley
  10. Mrachek Middle School / Aurora
  11. New Vista High School / Boulder Valley
  12. Pinnacle Charter High School * / Charter School Institute
  13. Skyline High School / St. Vrain Valley
  14. STRIVE Prep – RISE / Denver
  15. Valley High School * / Weld County
*Rookie Team
THANKS for Phenomenal Expanded Teacher/Mentor Institute
WOW! After months of preparations this Spring by our volunteers, we rolled out the new 3.0 CEU credit rookie and newer BEST Teacher / Mentor Institute (TMI) training on 16-18 July at MSU Denver.
The response was very positive from the 20 participants from as far away as El Paso, Texas.
We have to do a little bragging, one teacher called the training "phenomenal".
Our thanks to all the volunteers that helped develop and deliver the new and improved training. 
2019 TMI Volunteers
2019 TMI Participants Robots
2019 TMI Winning Robot
Cut Day Volunteer THANKS!
We selected the HOTTEST day of the year in Denver, to do all the plywood and lumber cutting and also gathering all the required hardware for two 2019 Game Fields - one for Rocky Mountain BEST and one for Front Range BEST.
Our thanks to all the volunteers that kept smiling as the day kept getting warmer and warmer. Special thanks to Shannon and Carolyn for all the preparations to make the effort very efficient. AND thanks to John for again making his workshop available - essential to completing the tasks all in one day.
DENVER REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CHANGE!

In 2019, Denver BEST Regional Championship will host 40 Teams from the following 11 Hubs. Please save the date to volunteer and be part of this exciting expansion!
  • Setup Friday 6 December and Event Saturday/Sunday 7-8 December
  • Crowne Plaza Denver Airport Convention Center @ 15500 E 40th Ave, Denver
Barrack BEST - Jack Barrack Hebrew Academy
Bryn Mawr PA

Bowling Green OH
Saturday, 28 September 2019 11AM-4PM at East High School in Denver, Colorado

Energy Day is Colorado's first FREE family festival showcasing exhibits focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Come down and support our local schools, energy experts, and the amazing kids out there looking to learn and develop their skills in STEM education!

2019 Outreach with Energy Day Colorado Festival
Rocky Mountain BEST is planning to participate in the third annual Energy Day Colorado Festival as one of our outreach events.

Please save the date for this FREE, family festival designed to promote and encourage excitement and interest in energy, environment, sustainability, science, robotics, technology, engineering & mathematics to inspire students into STEM studies. 
Energy Day will feature exciting exhibits and interactive demonstrations that will teach students and their families about various forms of energy and how through STEM education, they can find an exciting career in the energy industry.
Other Ways to Participate by Donating
Donations 
You can donate ANYTIME at  Rocky Mountain BEST at ColoradoGives.org. 
Benevity
If  your company has gift matching through Benevity, Rocky Mountain BEST is one of the eligible non-profit organizations. Please check with your company about gift matching! Thank you for the $1350 donation in 2018.
King Soopers Loyalty Card
Use your King Soopers Loyalty Card or Kroger Plus Card account to assign Rocky Mountain BEST as your non-profit for us to receive quarterly Kroger Community Rewards. (NOT "Rocky Mountain Robotics")
The payout is more than $2.5 million each quarter. Rocky Mtn BEST will receive the percentage of spending when compared to all others enrolled.
King Soopers Loyalty Card Community Rewards
Amazon Smile
Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Rocky Mountain BEST whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
Amazon Smile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service.
Visit our Amazon Smile Sign In Page Thank you, your spending helped us raise a record $79 in the final quarter of 2018.
Wondering what to do with your used car or truck? 
Donating your old vehicle to ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEST is convenient, easy, and may qualify you for a tax deduction. And best of all, your donation of a used car or truck will make a big difference in supporting ROCKY MOUNTAIN BEST.
Why not donate your vehicle today? All you need to do is to complete our SIMPLE ONLINE FORM or call 1-866-628-2277 and we'll take care of the rest. We will pick up your vehicle, arrange to have your donation towed, and provide you with a tax-deductible receipt, all at no charge to you. 
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Build a robot in six weeks;
inspire a youth for a lifetime
THANK YOU for making it possible!