Notre Dame's Killer Bees take first place at competition in Center Line; also get Chairman's Award as the best team for others to emulate.
Notre Dame’s Killer Bees are with banners designating the team as both event and Chairman’s Award winners after the March 14-16 competition at Center Line High School. The team currently is ranked No. 1 in the state of Michigan.
According to Louise Palardy, team mentor as well as Notre Dame's STEM specialist and manager of the school's robotics center, the team also won the Chairman's Award, which "honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the mission of FIRST."
She said the Chairman's Award comes as a result of two main initiatives by the school and team.
"The judges comments for choosing the Killer Bees for the top award mentioned the school's new science, art and technology wing and the fact that the Bees initiated the innovative FIRST Badges program," she said. "First Badges is a system of digital 'open' badges that provides visual recognition and evidence of learning and accomplishment for any students participating on a FIRST Robotics competition team."
Palardy also noted that Killer Bees are always willing to help other teams.
"This year, we formed a SWAT team, with its purpose a regular checkup through the pit area during competition and the subsequent helping of teams with mechanics, programming, building and other competition support," she said.
Now ranked No. 1 in the state, the Killer Bee's next district event is March 29 – 30 in Alpena, Mich.
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org