Frequently Asked
Questions

What is the Education Foundation of Harris County (EFHC), located in Harris County, TX?
The Education Foundation of Harris County is an efficient conduit for corporate philanthropy, foundations and individual contributors supporting innovative instructional services for teachers, academic competitions and after school education enrichment activities. Operating primarily in the twenty-six Independent School District area comprising Harris County, its mission “creating opportunities for all children” promotes a vision that every child can learn and succeed given opportunity and education.

What is the All Earth EcoBot Challenge?
The All-Earth EcoBot Challenge® is an innovative engineering competition for 5th-8th graders on 4-person student teams. In the Challenge - real-world focused and workforce-development oriented -  4-person student teams  design, build and program autonomous robots to accomplish 4 missions on a competition table, using a LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT Robot kit. Teams operate their robots to complete a series of different missions each year that connect to the commercial and industrial future of energy generation, technological innovation and environmental sustainability like recycling, reusing, and reducing. .

Teams from all over Texas have gone ‘head to head’ past Challenge Days. On Challenge Day, teams are judged and scored; teams win prizes as do individual competitors. The Challenge is a trademarked and protected creation. . Founded by EFHC, corporate CEO’s and school teachers, it opened in 2009 with 216 student participants. It grew to over 1,000 students in 2010 and again over 1,000 in 2011; more than 1,000 parents and adults cheered teams each year, too (see video at www.ecobotchallenge.com).

The Challenge generates aspirational levels of excitement by demonstrating the real-world usefulness and workplace applicability of school-based learning and computers. It helps our young learners connect the dots…and, it is great fun!

What is new in 2012?
EcoBot Challenge registration for school teachers, coaches of community based teams and volunteers is at www.ecobotchallenge.com.

EcoBot Challenge Kits are for sale to registrants. Kit contents will be used for multiple years’, e.g. those purchasing for 2012 will not need to buy again in 2013.

Registrants receive access to an interactive educational learning center for teachers and teams geared to inspiring learning related to missions on the competition table. Videos, quizzes and more await young EcoBot Challenge participants as well as an opportunity to win a robot!

Why is there an Ecobot Challenge?
The Challenge empowers America’s 21st-Century workforce and accelerates workplace skills development – teamwork, negotiation proficiency, effective time management, presentation skills and working under pressure against hard deadlines (illustrating the difference between trying and succeeding). The Challenge shows how applicable & useful computer skills are and how school-based learning can connect to personal goals, enabling control over one’s personal destiny – while having fun, learning!

What are the objectives of the competition for students
- To inspire them to learn how to learn
- To provide experience working toward goals as members of teams
- To teach critical thinking skills 
- To create successful experiences applying what they know to solve problems for which they have been given no prior procedure
- To excite them about careers in math and science
- To give them opportunities to see how they can solve real world problems with the skills they are learning in the classroom, demonstrating the usefulness & applicability of learning
- To teach them the value of intellectual collaboration, persistence, and time management

What are the objectives of the competition for parents and teachers?
- Parents report being shocked at seeing how powerfully intelligent, inquisitive and able their children really are!  Ecobot breaks down barriers and creates new avenues for growing important, constructive parent-child relationships. 
- Teachers and Principals report that EcoBot changes students’ consciousness, spawns an appreciation of educational opportunity, increases their self-control and discipline and that grades and scores at school improve across the board in almost every discipline. The EcoBot Challenge can change how students think about life at a stage in their lives when such changes hurtle them in positive directions and far away from the dangers of boredom, frustration and fear of learning.

Won't EcoBot distract kids from TAKS tests?
No, EcoBot is designed to enhance student learning by reinforcing STEM education and inspiring students to work harder in school and on standardized tests. 

Where will the 2012 EcoBot Challenge be held?
On February 25 in a north Harris County location; on March 3, in Houston.

Who can participate?
Teams comprised of 4 students who are 5th-8th graders may participate, with their teacher or an adult coach for community based teams. Public, Private, charter and home school teams are invited. YMCA teams, Boy Scout and Girl Scout teams and teams sponsored by other similar community or corporate organizations may participate.

We participated in prior years. Can we sign up again year after year?
Yes. We encourage teams to participate again.  You will use the same robot kit. However, the tasks will differ every year so that no one has an unfair advantage.

How do schools, teachers and students register? How do community-based teams register?
Registration for teachers and adult coaches opens January 2, 2012 at www.ecobotchallenge.com. . All other information will be provided to registrants, e.g. links to 2012 All-Earth EcoBot Challenge® materials and the learning center. .

May schools and organizations enter more than one team?
Yes. Register each teacher and up to three (3) teams per school/ organization, initially; one additional adult chaperone is required for every two (2) teams, and their names can be entered with the teacher registration.

Do teams have to pay to attend the All-Earth EcoBot Challenge®?
No, if from inside Harris County. There is a per-team fee for outside Harris County registrants.

Teams came to Houston from all over Texas in 2010 & 2011 – is that continuing?
Teams can continue to come to Houston. Other cities may also click the box on the Home Page titled “Bring the Ecobot Challenge to your Community!” and begin to consider how to be supported to run their own EcoBot Challenge. .

Is there a limit to how many teams I can register for the 2012 All-Earth EcoBot Challenge®?
Yes, initially you will be allowed to register three (3) teams. You may place additional teams on a waiting list. Teams on the waiting list will be advised of their status in mid-March. No team on the waiting list was turned away in 2010 or 2011.

Can we use third party sensors?
No.

When and where will teacher training be provided?
Harris County Department of Education will provide EcoBot Training Workshops, including  how to program NXT robots and prepare for the engineering challenges.   Teachers, community-based team coaches, assistants and organization chaperones may sign up to be trained when registering their school or organization to participate. Many teachers and community-based team coaches have learned everything they need to know about “how to EcoBot!” by attending a single workshop. Be fearless! For teams in other cities, workshops and trainings will be web-based.

How are the robotic challenge rounds structured, in the Challenge?
Each team will participate in four rounds of robotics challenges. Out of the four rounds, the lowest score will be dropped and the other rounds will be averaged for a final score.

Are there awards?
Yes, awards are presented to teams including the top 10 teams

What types of materials do I need to participate in the 2012 All-Earth EcoBot Challenge®?
LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT 9797 Homeschool Robotic Kit and software may be ordered at anytime through the Education Foundation of Harris County.

Will I need any other materials?
Yes, provided at registration.

What must the NXT robot be able to do? What are its tasks? Size restrictions?
The illustrated robotics guide will be available to registrants after January 2, 2012.

Can the robot have more than 3 motors?
No, it is three motors total that you may bring to the task table. You will need to design your subassemblies so that you can put them onto a motor and take them off quickly; this is part of the challenge.

What happens if a team member touches their robot outside of “Home”?  
Team members are not permitted to touch their robot when it is out of “home”. If a team does so it will be disqualified for that round.  Robots are to move autonomously.  If a robot gets stranded out on the field, team members or a judge may return the robot to home. 

Can a teacher or coach be with the team at the actual competition table during each of the actual four rounds?
No. Furthermore, any adult seen assisting to build robots on Challenge Day will cost his or her team a dozen points for the first warning. Only 5th-8th grade team members may touch the robots on Challenge Day. If questions, write dkleiner@hcde-texas.org.

If a team member manually moves the robot to “Home” what happens to any playfield objects that are being currently held by the robot?  
The robot must deliver the item not the human.  If the robot were to get stranded and need human help to return to “Home,” all items the robot has will be left out on the field in the location of the robot before the robot is returned to “Home.”
 
What does it mean “if any part of the robot is in the “Home” area?”  
Once any part of the robot has left “Home” it is considered completely out of “Home” even if some part of the robot never leaves.  The same rule applies for returning to “Home.” Once any part of the robot crosses the tape, the entire robot is considered in “Home” and you can touch it. You may not drag items into “Home”. If the Robot has performed a task without leaving “Home” entirely, please wait for the task to be scored before touching the robot.
 
Can a playfield piece be touched/moved without penalty?
Human hands are not to touch anything out of ‘”Home” during the round. Before a round begins team members may make minor adjustments to the field like straightening a piece or changing the order or spacing on the high energy use items, but once time is called, nothing may be touched outside of “Home.”
 
Can the team swap out sensors? Motors?  
Teams are limited to the number of motors and sensors allowed and that is all that can be brought to the task table. It is a good strategy to attach your sub-assemblies using universal fittings in the design so there are multiple sub-assemblies that use a third motor that the team can quickly switch.

Will I be able to make changes to my robot on-site?
Teams are encouraged to arrive at the competition with their robots completed.   However, there will be a large area available called “the Pit” where teams may work on & reprogram their robots between rounds as needed throughout the contest day.

What is the attire for the competition?
Casual pants and a Team T-Shirt.

Will bus parking be available?
Yes, no problem! On Challenge Day, if arriving in a school bus, please contact dkleiner@hcde-texas.org.

Are meals and refreshments provided for the competitors?
Food will be provided to students, teachers, coaches and volunteers.

Will parents and observers be allowed to attend?
Yes! Parents are encouraged to attend! Bring siblings, too!

Where should I park for the event?
Parking options will be posted on February 15,2012

Will refreshments be available for sale to parents and observers?
Yes, food and beverage service will be available throughout the day on a cash sales basis.

What time are the Opening Ceremony and the Awards Ceremony?
Opening Ceremony is at 8:45 am. Awards start no later than 4:30 pm

Where can my family stay in Houston?
If you require hotel accommodations, please contact dkleiner@hcde-texas.org.