What is BEST?
Boosting Engineering Science and Technology (BEST) is a national, six-week robotics competition held each fall designed to help interest middle school and high school students in possible engineering careers. BEST features two parallel competitions: a robotics game, which is based upon an annual theme with four teams competing at once in a series of three-minute, round-robin matches. The second competition is the BEST Award, which is presented to the team that best embodies the concept of Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology. Elements for the BEST Award include a project summary notebook, oral presentation, table display, and spirit and sportsmanship.
Little Rock BEST hub location
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
2801 S. University
Little Rock, AR. 72204
The BEST process
Each school is provided kits of equipment and parts, a set of game rules, and is given six weeks to design, build, and test a small Radio/Controlled (R/C) robot that outperforms other robots. Winning teams from local competition sites (called “hubs”) advance to regional championship sites (“regionals”).
Kick-off information
The Kick-Off Meeting will be held in September in the EIT Auditorium to introduce the game objectives to teachers (coaches) and students. In addition to confirming registrations with teachers, each team will receive a returnable kit and a consumable kit which contains most of the parts necessary to compete. The Kick-Off Meeting will also include a review of the rules to facilitate teams’ strategies and robot design.
BEST materials
Many materials (consumable and returnable kits) will be distributed to attending teams at the conclusion of the Kick-Off Meeting.
Practice day
Practice Day will be held at the UALR Field House to provide all teams an opportunity to test their robots on the actual game field under real game conditions. Each team will have at least one hour to practice and make adjustments.
Game day
Game Day will be held at the UALR’s Jack Stephens Center on November 5th
Registration
Interested teams may register here. Registration will close on or before September 23.
Results from the 2016 Little Rock BEST Robotics
BEST Award
- Athens Bible School
- Central High School
- Nashville High School
Robot Performance
- Athens Bible School
- ASMSA
- Forest Heights STEM Academy
- Central High School
Founders Award
- Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences & the Arts
Blood, Sweat, and Duct Tape Award
- Poyen High School
Diversity Award
- North Caddo Magney
Spirit Award
- Parkview
Team Exhibit & Interviews
- Athens Bible School
- Poyen High School
- Central High School
Engineering Notebook
- Athens Bible School
- Parkview High School
- ASMSA
Arkansas Traveler Award
- West Memphis High School
- Gosnell High School
BEST Rookie Team
- Howard County 4H
Contact: Questions or need additional information about this event?
- Contact: Vernard Henley ([email protected]);
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LittleRockBest
- Other link: http://uafs.edu/ftbest/ft-best-home