NERDS advance to Missouri Kansas State Championship

The NERDS (Novice Engineers Robotics Design Society) or Team 9960, a robotics club with members from South Nodaway and Northeast Nodaway, was among the winners of the First Tech Challenge Northwest League Championship, March 6, and will participate in the state championship, Saturday, April 24.

NERDS members are Nathan Meyer and Colton Swalley, both from NEN, and Nicco LaBryer, Blair Allen and Ellen Hayden, all from SN. The team also won a trophy for second place in the “Think” award, given for the quality of the NERDS portfolio of information supplied to the judges.

LaBryer was the team’s software developer with help from Allen, who served as videographer for the team matches. Hayden maintained the team website, helped produce the engineering portfolio, and was scorekeeper during matches. Meyer and Swalley helped to design the robot and alternated as robot drivers during match play. This year’s robot was designed digitally using 3D CAD software and features over 20 3D printed parts.