846th Test Squadron helps kids build robots

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tiffany Trojca
  • 49th FW/PA
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Personnel of the 846th Test Squadron have been helping children of Mountain View Middle School build robots for a competition from Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology Robotics Inc. 

The competition is sponsored by New Mexico State University in Alamogordo, N.M.

Each school is provided with kits of equipment, game rules and six weeks to build and test a small radio-controlled robot. Once completed, the robot should outperform the other competitors.

"Until now we've gone to the school to help with design and fabrication," said Kamal Shouman, 846 Test Squadron lead mechanical engineer. "However, they don't have the wide variety of tools there that we have here. It's a good opportunity for them to get some experience and gain knowledge."

According to Paula Yee, Mountain View Middle School teacher, the squadron's help has been invaluable to the children from Mountain View Middle School during the competition. 

"I could have never done this without them (the 846th TS)," she said. "They're always so eager to help the school out and it gives the kids an authentic learning experience in a career field that America should be encouraging in its school systems."

The competition will take place in Las Cruces, N.M., Saturday, Nov. 1.

For more information on the competition, go to www.bestinc.org for more information.