Triple Helix robotics team advances to World Championship
The Triple Helix robotics team, based at Menchville High School, successfully defended their title as champions of the FIRST Robotics Competition Chesapeake District (VA/MD/DC) in April and advanced to the World Championship in Houston.
The judging panel at the District Championship also recognized Triple Helix with the Innovation in Control Award, which celebrates innovative control techniques to achieve gameplay functions. This greatly enhanced their performance on the field.
Triple Helix, FRC 2363, won the three-day District Championship alongside alliance partners FRC 1731 Fresta Valley Robotics Club from Warrenton, Virginia, and FRC 2199 Robo-Lions from Finksburg, Maryland. The event featured the top 60 high school FRC teams from Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. More than 135 matches were played to determine the winning alliance. Triple Helix is in the process of fundraising to go to the World Championship.
Triple Helix is an all-volunteer organization composed of hardworking students and mentors. The team’s high level of technical competence has enabled them to regularly compete on the world stage. Triple Helix also shares its expertise by providing in-person mentor support, sharing and donating resources, publishing whitepapers and making conference presentations.
The chief sponsors of Triple Helix include NASA, Army Research Laboratory, DoD STEM, The Boeing Company and Newport News Shipbuilding.
Local McDonald’s franchises donate to NNPS
McDonald’s is partnering with Newport News Public Schools to fund innovative projects that will have a lasting and sustaining impact for students and teachers in the community.
During a hiring event in Newport News in March, Jennifer Smith-Brown, head of J. Smith McDonald’s, and Giuseppe Giaimo, of Giaimo Management Corporation, presented a $10,000 check to Newport News Public Schools.
Smith and Giaimo plan to help the school community share in “Golden Opportunities” as they work toward the goal of every student becoming college, career and citizen-ready. They will be working together with the school division to identify projects to receive funding.
J. Smith McDonald’s and Giaimo Management have been a staple in Peninsula communities for many years, supporting youth and senior groups, PTAs and countless community initiatives.
During the event at the Hidenwood McDonald’s, Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones and Councilmember Pat Woodbury highlighted the competitive wages, career advancement, educational opportunities and tuition reimbursement that McDonald’s provides to employees and encouraged citizens to apply for more than 1,000 job opportunities being offered now through the summer.
