Booth team wins SeaPerch event

It was not beginner’s luck, but teamwork, collaboration, and skill that landed seventh-grade students from J.C. Booth Middle’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) cohort team in the champion’s circle at their first-ever SeaPerch Competition.

The team competed against eight other middle schools in the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)-U.S. Navy STEM Summit and SeaPerch Competition held at the Georgia Tech Aquatics Center last month.

SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips teachers and students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). The robots are built from pre-cut kits provided by SeaPerch, and include PVC pipe, wire, small motors, film canisters, wax, switches, small propellers, and circuit board components. It typically takes about 10 hours for students to build and test a SeaPerch robot.

At the competition, robots had to complete a series of tasks followed by a race in the Georgia Tech pool. Teams also participated in a poster contest.

This was the first SeaPerch Competition for the J.C. Booth Middle team. Not only did they win the overall competition, but the team also placed first in the poster contest and third in the pool event.

“What I have seen in our STEM students is a level of engagement and commitment that I’ve never seen equaled in two decades of teaching,” said Dr. Kathleen Lanman, J.C. Booth Middle gifted science teacher and STEM coordinator. “The kids are passionate about the projects we offer, and regularly exceed our expectations. Rather than find reasons not to complete tasks, they ask for more. It’s truly amazing to see them in action.”

More than 140 middle school students from six metro counties, including Cobb, Henry, Fayette, Gwinnett, Rockdale, and DeKalb, took part in the competition.