U.S. Makes Olympic History!

While Kid Reporter prepares to cover Olympic Games from Vancouver.

The U.S. Winter Olympic Ski Team made history this weekend. Johnny Spillane won a silver medal in the Nordic combined—the first ever medal in the event for the U.S. THE FIRST EVER!

I have been following the excitement of the  2010 Olympic Winter Games on TV since the opening ceremonies on Friday night. But soon I’ll be there to cover the games in person!

I am heading to Vancouver on Saturday to report from the Games for the Scholastic Kids Press Corps. As you read my stories and watch my videos, you will be seeing the final product—the end result of months of preparation for the reporting assignment of a lifetime.

From the Sacramento, California, area to Vancouver, Canada, will be a big climate change. I have had to buy winter clothes to prepare for long stints in freezing snow.

I also wanted a better video camera, so I started saving my money to buy a shoulder held camera.

And then there’s the research. I needed to know as much as possible about the sports, the athletes, the venues, and even about the other journalists going—AND I had to come up with a plan for coverage.

As you can see in this picture, that huge pile of luggage was a lot of work. And believe it or not, most of that pile is devoted to video.

Also note the whiteboard where I have organized all of the subjects I will be reporting on into a schedule. This way, I can see the plan for the day. The whiteboard will help me stay on track.

Another thing coming with me to Vancouver is my laptop. This is the connection to my editor and to you. From the laptop you see in the picture, I will be sending in both written and video reports for the web site.

My job in Vancouver is to give you an inside look into what the Olympic experience is all about. I will cover everything from international athletes to security at the Olympics. I will also provide an inside look into the host city and country.

With the videos, you will be able to see firsthand what happens behind the scenes of the Olympics and the world-wide love of this great sporting event. I will also be getting as many interviews with athletes from around the world as possible.

I look forward to reporting all I can while at the games, so stay tuned to this web site for all of my reports! You can also watch the events on NBC. Check out the listings at the NBC Olympic web site.

—Daniel Wetter

PHOTO: Daniel's pile of equipment, winter clothes, and research all ready for coverage of the last week of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. (Photo By Daniel Wetter)

Bob sledder Shauna Rohbock

A dangerous mountain and a high speed sport meet at the Winter Olympics.

With speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, bobsled is one of the fastest sports in the world.

“Every run could maybe be your last,” said Shauna Rohbock, a U.S. bobsled athlete.

Rohbock will be competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, over the next two weeks, competing on one of the most dangerous mountains in the world. 

“Whistler is a fairly dangerous track,” she said. Crashing at one hundred miles per hour is a regular event for her. “I don’t know how many crashes I’ve been in, I lost track a long time ago.” She raced Whistler last year, winning a gold.

Rohbock began her athletic career in soccer. She was introduced to bobsledding while attending Brigham Young University in Utah. After that, she competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, where she won the only U.S. medal in the sport.

“Standing up there with one more run to go, I was like, “Alright, I just need to get this done,’” she said. When she finished the race, she was not sure what place she was in, but she soon found out. “It was the most amazing feeling!”

 In 2009, she competed in the World Championships for bobsledding. She won a silver with her best finishing time. Rohbock also raced in Europe last January where she won two out of six races.

Her work out includes heavy lifting twice a week, combined with various sprints throughout each day.

“It’s pretty much just eating, working out, sliding, eating, and thinking about bobsledding,” she said with a laugh. “That’s pretty much all we do in season.”

Rohback has set some specific goals for herself at this year’s games.

“I want four runs that I’m happy about,” she said. She said she does not care what the media and other people think, she just wants to be happy with what she does and not feel pressured.

So what drives Rohbock to continue risking her life? She attributes it to her previous trip in the 2006 Winter Games in Torino, Italy.

“Just knowing that feeling and wanting to be there again, is enough to drive you to get up and workout everyday and to put 100 percent into it,” she said.

She has some advice for kids who aspire to compete in the Olympics someday.

“Continue to work on the skill of the sport, and try to be the best at it,” she said.

Rohbock summed up the key to living out your Olympic dream: “There’s no substitution for hard work,” she said. “That’s for sure.”

—Daniel Wetter

PHOTO: Shauna Rohbock, front, and Michelle Rzepka cross the finish line in third place at the FIBT Women Bobsleigh  World Cup competition in Altenberg, Germany, on December 19, 2009. (Photo Credit: Matthias Rietschel/AP Images)

On the Red Carpet with Percy Jackson

Kid Reporter fan gets a leg up on rookie adult reporters who haven't read the PJ books!

I looked to my left and then to my right. TV crews from CBS, FOX, and Access Hollywood were setting up their equipment and getting ready for the celebrities. I had prepared well for this red carpet premiere, but I was still extremely nervous, being the only kid among all the adult reporters.

I was at the AMC Loews Theater in New York City at the red carpet premiere for Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

Despite my anxiety over being the only kid in the crowd, I knew I had a major advantage over most of the adult reporters: I have actually read ALL the Percy Jackson books! I knew the story and characters quite well without ever having to see the movie or even read the press packet.

Being a kid can also create some problems. It took a bit of coaxing to convince the security guards that I was indeed a reporter, even though I had credentials and a place reserved on the rope line along the red carpet.

When I was finally inside and in place along the red velvet ropes, I got my recorder and notebook ready. Suddenly, I heard murmurs of excitement. Logan Lerman was arriving!

The actor who plays Percy strode down the red carpet, stopping to answer journalists’ questions along the way. When he got to me, I introduced myself, and asked a few questions.

“I think everyone can relate to Percy," Lerman told me. "He’s a regular teenager with problems. He has dyslexia, ADHD, and his parents are separated. This movie is about turning your weaknesses into your strengths, and that’s what Percy does.”

This interview taught me two things about Logan Lerman: he's pretty cool and a great speaker!

I also spoke to Brandon T. Jackson who plays the role of Grover, the satyr. He said he had to learn to walk like a goat, which took a lot of practice.

“Chris (the director) had to make sure I kept walking like that for the entire movie,” Jackson said.

Director Chris Columbus also stopped by. He told me the difference between directing this movie and the Harry Potter movies was the improvement in technology for creating visual effects. Columbus directed the first two the HP movies.

“We have gone so far in the visual effects that now the effects are almost seamless,” Columbus said.

He told me to especially watch out for one monster in particular—Medusa! He also explained that they had to create a lot of sets for the movie, including building a model of the Empire State building in the studio.

Kevin McKidd, who plays Poseidon, told me something about his character. He said that it was cool playing a really tall god with special powers. Also, he mentioned that everybody would like this movie because it is a family movie and very fast paced.

Alexandra Daddario, who plays Annabeth, daughter of Athena, said that when playing her character, she got to do some really unique stunts.

“You get to do things you would never do in your real life, like sword fighting and archery,” she said. She also told me she had to stay physically fit to play her character. “Every morning before filming, we had to do aerobics exercises,” Daddario said.

All the cast and the director of the movie stopped to talk with me. I even improvised and added some new questions to the ones I had prepared in advance. I became less nervous and more confident as the interviews continued.

Finally, I spoke to Pierce Brosnan, who plays Chiron. You might remember him from his role as the famous spy, James Bond. He said that Chiron was like a philosopher of the demi-gods. He also explained the difference between playing James Bond and a Chiron.

"James Bond didn’t have to dress up in tights,” he said with a smile. He added that Bond didn’t have to be a half man/half horse either!

After all that excitement, I was looking forward to sitting down and relaxing. I joined all the actors and director in the theater to watch the movie, which doesn't open to the public until tomorrow, Friday, February 12!

I came home at 10:30 p.m. and had to catch up on homework. But I also had a deadline for my movie review and this blog post.

It was hard work, but I experienced one of the most amazing days in my life. I can't get enough of Percy Jackson, and if you can't either, check out fellow Kid Reporter Grace Choi's story and  blog post about her visit to the set in British Columbia, Canada, last year.

—Gowtham Balaji

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Gowtham Balaji and actor Logan Lerman, who plays Percy Jackson, at the red carpet premiere of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. (Photo Courtesy Gowtham Balaji)

Olympian Jenny Potter Talks Hockey

Gold medal winner heads for fourth Olympic Winter Games.

Handling a puck and skating at the same time is a difficult chore, but not for Olympic athlete Jenny Potter.

“There’s a lot of action, it’s a constant up and down,” Potter told me in a recent interview.

Potter is a top player on the U.S. Olympic women's hockey team. A forward, she is experienced when it comes to winning gold. She was part of the gold medal U.S. hockey team at the 1998 games in Nagano, Japan. She helped lead the team to victory after scoring two goals and three assists in six games.

“I was pretty young, I was just there to enjoy the moment,” Potter said. “I don’t think it really set in to what we really accomplished until I got home.”

Potter described the golden moment when the entire team piled onto the goalie.

“It was a pretty special moment,” she said. “Something that you dream about growing up as a kid.”

Potter and team U.S.A. won silver at the Salt Lake games in 2002 and bronze in Torino, Italy, in 2006. She was the top scorer for the U.S. at the Torino games.

“It’s a great honor,” she said of her medals, while acknowledging that no one person can claim the victories. “It’s a team sport.”

As Potter prepared for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada, she described an average day in her life. She starts with a morning skate, usually followed by a luncheon event. She then works out in the weight room at the U.S. Olympic training center in Colorado Springs. After a recovery period, everyone gets together for a team meeting.

Her workout routine ranges from power to speed lifting. Power lifting combines a lot of weight and low repetitions. Speed lifting combines lower weight and quicker movements. Team practices focus on refining skill, power play, and small games.

“I love working out hard, and paying the price,” Potter said. “Not every day is easy, but that’s what makes it fun.”

Hockey requires intense skill and concentration, combined with strength and agility.

“There’s so many skills that hockey requires that other sports may not require,” Potter said. “Skating in itself is kind of an acquired skill.”

Potter played tackle football as a kid—until the boys got too big. She was also a competitive swimmer.

“I kind of knew that I wasn’t going to make it to the Olympics in swimming,” she said. So, at the age of 14 she took up hockey. “I just decided I was going to make hockey my goal and be in the Olympics.”

At that time, hockey was a male-dominated sport, even in her home state of Minnesota where hockey is king.

“People were thinking that girls probably can’t play hockey,” she said. “That’s probably part of the reason why I’m the player I am today, because some of the barriers I’ve had to fight to play hockey. It really made me want to be out there and show people that I can play hockey.”

This big-time hockey player wants to get her message across to young girls who might also be interested in playing the game.

“Any barrier makes you a stronger person, so stick to what you believe in and go for it,” she advised. “Basically, you can achieve anything you want.”

Team U.S. will be facing Finland in the coming days. Potter will go into that game with no expectations but to play her very best.

“If you have no expectations, you don’t worry about failing,” she said. Competing in the Olympic Games is the “pinnacle of your sport,” she concluded. For Potter, it is living out her dream.

—Daniel Wetter

PHOTO: Team USA's Jenny Potter (12) at the February 4 Quest Tour Pre Olympic Exhibition match between Finland and Team USA in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Team USA defeated Finland 5-1.
(Photo Credit: Larry Clouse/Cal Sport Media/ZUMApress.com)

More Snow Coming!

The Snowstorm of the Century to be followed by another.

The current 30 inches of snow that has socked in Washington, D.C., is the most snow that I’ve ever seen! My neighborhood is covered in a smooth layered white blanket. The trees look like they are dressed in dangling crystals—except for the two unfortunate trees that fell into the street!

 Icicles are everywhere, hanging on tree branches and the rain gutters around the house, glittering like shiny glass in the lazy winter sun. I can’t see our pool in the backyard because everything is covered with an even level of white icy powder. On the picnic table, a huge pile of fluffy snow stands tall like Abraham Lincoln’s hat, only pure white.

And guess what? More snow is coming. According to weather reports this morning, 6 to 10 inches more snow is on the way Tuesday.

I went out for a walk in the snow with my dad this weekend. I was dressed thickly from head to toe. Since snow gets into my boots, my mom used duct tape to seal in the warmth and keep me dry.

The snow looked like cotton candy, which is as light as feather. Walking through the drifts, I soon realized, was like walking with weights on my feet! At one point I felt like I was climbing Mt. McKinley, especially when nobody had been out before us, so we didn’t have any tracks to follow.

I won a race with my dad on the snow-covered street, and I jumped backward and landed IN the snow on my back. My hat got my all icy and wet!

 I took a tape measure with me on our walk so that I could measure the depth. I measured the snow on the street, on the sidewalk, on the lawn, everywhere I could get to. Most of the area was about 20 inches, way above my knees!

I was so excited, but my dad was not so sure. After our walk, he had to shovel our driveway. It took him five hours and he made two massive snow walls along the path. They looked like chunky marshmallows that towered over me!

Not everything about a big snow storm like this one is fun and games, though. Roads were mostly shut down and those attempting to drive were getting into multiple accidents.

More than 100,000 people in Maryland and 50,000 in Virginia are out of power right now. One of our friends called us while driving to a hotel because their power was out so they could not cook and the house was cold. They said that every building they passed was pitch black—only the Marriott hotel had light!

Dad was disappointed that he would miss the Super Bowl party with his friends. Mom started to worry about the milk running out. I was not so happy that my school would be closed again Monday. I miss my friends at school, although I had lots of fun having snow ball fights with my little brother and my new friends.

— Alexandra Zhang

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Alexandra Zhang measures the snow fall in her yard in the Washington, D.C., metro area. (Photo Courtesy Alexandra Zhang)

Snowed In!

D.C. digs out from under record snow fall.

Snow is beautiful and sparkling, light and fluffy, like a cloud falling to the ground. That is, until it really starts to stack up like it did here in Washington, D.C., this weekend.

As residents of the nation’s capital, my family and I are used to managing three inches of snow on the ground. No big deal. Right now, however, 30 inches of snowfall has blocked the roads, parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks. This is the largest single storm total in the past 88 years!

Over the last few days, the "Blizzard of 2010" has given me the opportunity to make some fascinating observations about nature—including human nature. Snowstorms can bring out some strange and unexpected behaviors in people. And it started with the pre-storm mania...

The Worst of Times

For example, on Thursday last week, the day before the start of the snow, the supermarkets were jam-packed. There wasn't a single square inch of floorspace in our local grocery story that was not covered by anxious shoppers, struggling to grab what they needed and get out.

As always, there were certain items in high demand: the ever-popular toilet paper, milk, eggs...and oddly, ground beef! This particular item, which may have been headed for chili pots around the metro area, was being snatched up right and left.

By the time we got to the meat display, only one package remained. My mom was holding it in her hands as a burly man with wild eyes emerged from the mass of people around us. He was clearly contemplating a snatch and run. We were relieved when instead he stalked away, a hungry and frustrated look on his face.

A Challenging Business

The snowstorm made doing everyday things really challenging. For example, Saturday morning my dad and I had to shovel for almost half an hour before we could clear a little spot for our dog, Tess, to do her business. She took one hop into the un-cleared snow and sunk down so deep that only the top of her head poked out!

And the snow kept barreling down. I had to re-dig the path while my dad was off shoveling the back deck. He also had to cut up a tree that had fallen across our driveway.

I will say this for snow: It sure helps build your arm strength. Unfortunately, it also kills your back!

The Best of Times

Although the storm may have brought out some unpleasant qualities in people (the would-be meat snatcher?), I have also seen examples of compassion and generosity.

One of our neighbors owns a snow blower, and has been helping us keep our long drive way clear. We invited neighbors without power to come and stay with us. Yet another neighbor is allowing me to use his computer to post my report since he is the only one around who still has a functioning internet connection.

One last observation about this weekend; most people in my area didn’t get to watch the Super Bowl! As I listened to the radio, I heard how about more and more people were losing power in their houses, and how some might not get power back for days.

Our family lost satellite coverage for our TV, but my Dad’s smart thinking saved the day. He climbed onto the roof of our house and threw one hard-packed snowball at the satellite dish, causing most of the snow to tumble out. We watched the Superbowl!

So what does the future hold for those of us in the D.C. metro area this week? More snow! Four to five inches are predicted for tomorrow. I’ll keep the shovel handy.

—Nick Berray

PHOTO: Kid Reporter Nick Berray and his dog on the back deck before it was shoveled clear. (Photo Courtesy Nick Berray)

Haiti Hits Home in Queens, NY

Fifth grader shares his stories of Haiti with Kid Reporter.

When the earthquake in Haiti erupted it felt so far away. I didn’t know anyone there and knew very little about it. Then I got an assignment from Scholastic to cover people affected by the earthquake. All of a sudden, instead of strangers on the TV screen, I found myself speaking with people directly affected. It made the tragedy much more personal for me.

I interviewed one young man my age, Rickssen Oponte, who is in the fifth grade, just like me. He has family members in Haiti.

Before I interviewed him I was told his mother was among the missing. That made me a little nervous to ask him questions. Before our interview, however, Rickssen found out his mom is OK.

“I can’t talk to my mom, because I can’t get through,” he told me. “But my sister who lives in Florida spoke with her and found out she is OK.”

I asked him what it was like, before he knew she was safe.

“I was extremely worried that my mom would be hurt,” he said. “My heart was broken and my heart was in pieces that she was there.”

Rickssen lived in Haiti for nine years before moving to New York. He has good memories, he said, of going to school and playing soccer. He was quick to point out, however, that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and that people are going to need help rebuilding.

“I want people to know that the people of Haiti are in extreme pain,” he said. “It’s a disaster.”

I also spoke with Julie Le Pore, Director of Religious Education at Saint Ann’s Church in Nyack, New York, which is home to a large Haitian population. LePore stressed the need for both prayers and money.

“Haitians are not ready for clothing or food drives right now,” she said. “They really need money.”

She stressed the need to act quickly to get things as basic as clean drinking water to the people.

“Drinking polluted water means people get sick and if they don’t get cared for, infection will spread,” she said.

It is important for us to help Haiti, she pointed out, because Haitians are our neighbors.

“And just like we try to help our neighbors on our own block, we should also help our neighboring countries in the same way,” she said.

Le Pore’s parish is collecting money and sending it to Catholic Relief Services and to the Norwich Haitian Mission House in Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti. Saint Ann’s parish already has an established relationship with the Norwich Mission House, because so many members of the congregation are from Haiti.

I also interviewed Jackie McCann and Nancy Taylor, both of Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens, New York, one of the most diverse counties in the entire country. They immediately started fund raising efforts when the earthquake struck in Haiti because many of their staff are from there. They are baking cookies and other goods to be sold in the lobby.

You may think that a bake sale can’t raise enough money to make a difference. McCann told me that they make $600 to $1,000 a day on their bake sales. They donate all sales to www.foodforthepoor.org, because that particular charity sends 96 percent of the profits directly to the people of Haiti. Food for the Poor is a well-known charity in the Caribbean.

“We want to make sure every penny goes to Haiti,” Taylor said. Aside from the bake sale, the hospital also has collection containers in the gift shop and cafeteria.

“Every little bit is helpful,” Taylor said.

—Joseph O’Connor

RETURN TO CRISIS IN HAITI SPECIAL REPORT

PHOTO: Fifth grader Rickssen Oponte was relieved to find out his mother, who lives in Haiti, survived the earthquake. (Photo Courtesy Joseph O'Connor)

When Reporters Become the News

Covering Haiti put Kid Reporters in the spotlight for a job well done.

Kid Reporters are like any other reporter when it comes to covering the news. But sometimes, we become the news, which happened this past week when I was interviewed by two different TV reporters and a radio journalist.

Fellow Kid Reporter Andrew Liang and I were chosen to speak to the press on behalf of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps and its coverage of the earthquake in Haiti. About half of the 54 reporters dropped everything the weekend after the earthquake to report on relief efforts in our individual communities. You can read all about it in a Special Report called Crisis in Haiti.

Our first interview was on WXIA, 11 Alive, a local TV news program in Atlanta, Georgia. I felt like I was on the hot seat, being the one to answer the questions rather than ask them.

A few days later, Andrew and I were interviewed by Mr. Steve Goss, a radio host for National Public Radio (NPR). NPR airs on WABE 90.1 FM in Atlanta. Unlike the 11 Alive interview, this one was taped to be aired later. The focus of the radio interview was a little different. Mr. Goss wanted to know about our jobs as reporters. His asked about the difference between reporting for kids and reporting for adults.

On Monday, it was back to live TV, this time for the national cable network MSNBC. I was really nervous, because this was a live, national show. Once we were prepped for the interview, I was fine, though. Ms. Contessa Brewer, a news anchor for MSNBC, mainly asked questions about our coverage on Haiti and how it is helpful for kids to have a news source designed specifically for them.

I have been thinking about what I’ve learned from these three different interviews. All three reporters treated us as professionals and with respect. We did not know what questions they were going to ask, although we did know the subjects. The experience taught me that I should always be prepared and know my facts, just as I have to do when I report the news.

Being on the other side of the interview isn’t as easy as it may seem. You have to know your subject and think quickly. These experiences taught me the importance of listening and telling stories well. You have to go into an interview prepared with your information. You have to listen carefully to what people ask, and speak clearly in reply. You also have to stay objective. And finally, don’t forget to thank the interviewer!

I realized that even though I was not doing the reporting, I was still a journalist. My responsibility on either side of a story is to share information correctly.

Three times in one week as the person on the other side of the interview proved to be an exciting experience that I learned a lot from and that I will always remember

—N’Naserri Carew-Johnson

PHOTO: Kid Reporters N'Naserri Carew-Johnson and Andrew Liang on the set of MSNBC waiting to be interviewed on live TV. (Photo Courtesy N'Naserri Carew-Johnson)

That's ME on NPR!

Sometimes you have to be on the other side of the microphone.

I listen to National Public Radio (NPR) whenever I can, but I never dreamed I would one day be interviewed on one of its news programs! AND, I was interviewed by one of my journalism heroes, morning host Steve Goss on WABE, the NPR station in Atlanta, Georgia. He talked to both me and fellow Georgia Kid Reporter N’Naserri Crew-Johnson at the WABE studios.

Arriving at the station, it was hard to calm down because this was my first time on radio. I looked at everything around me. The studio had sound proof foam on all the walls and microphones and other radio equipment ready to record.

Next came the good part. We sat across from Mr. Goss who adjusted the volume of our microphones and also the tone and quality of the sound. We all put on earphones to hear one another better, then Mr. Goss started the digital recorder to begin the interview.

Mr. Goss first had to test out the equipment, and just for a tryout, he asked me what I had for breakfast. I smiled at this, and responded that I ate eggs, hot cocoa, and toast. Then the real thing began.

I explained what it meant to me to be in the Scholastic Kids Press Corps and described the stories I have written so far. I covered Vice President Biden’s visit to Georgia and wrote stories for special reports on the economy and the earthquake in Haiti. Serri talked about her stories about Haiti and some people she met from that country who are still waiting for news of their loved ones.

The interview ended with Mr. Goss thanking us and stopping the recording. Phew!

We all took one last look around the recording studio and headed back downstairs. After one last picture with Mr. Goss, it was time to say goodbye and head back to school where my friends would be waiting for me with about a thousand questions.

—Andrew Liang PHOTO: Steve Goss with Kid Reporters Andrew Liang and N’Naserri Crew-Johnson (Photo Courtesy Andrew Liang)

The Nerd Herd in Action

Let the robots begin!

Recently, I met the Nerd Herd team from St. Edmund's school in Brooklyn New York. They are competing the First Lego League robotics competition.

The Nerd Herd were finalists in last year’s competition at Atlanta. They also recently won the Brooklyn borough finals and have advanced to the regionals, which will be held soon at the Javits Convention Center in New York City. The team includes sixth, seventh, and eighth graders Gregory Chin, Noelle Mondaya, Nancy Fievre, and Benjamin Kelk. Christine Zaremba is their coach.

This year’s topic was Smart Moves. The team studied and researched the transit authority in their community to come up with a form of transportation that would be easier, faster, and environmentally friendly. They were inspired by the pedaling motion of a bicycle.

            “For this year's research project, we wanted to find an innovative solution that would allow people of all ages to travel at an accelerated pace,” said 13-year-old Gregory Chin. "That would allow people to travel faster, as well as not produce any emissions.”

The team’s robot was named ‘Yellow Submarine,' based on a similar transportation idea already in use called the Shweeb. (A Shweeb is similar to biking in a plastic tube that travels along a monorail.)

“It has been programmed to perform a series of tasks on a set obstacle course with the time limit being two minutes and 30 seconds," Chin explained.

They built two models of the robot. One model shows how the Shweeb actually moves using motors, while the other one demonstrates the concept of movement through pedaling. The robot is programmed using the Lego Mindstorms NXT-G software.

The Nerd Herd continues to work on their robots 10 hours every week in preparation for the next step in competition.

“At practices, the team continues refining their robot, strategizing new missions to create manipulators for and programming the robot to accomplish those missions," said Coach Zaremba. “They also work on their research project and practice their presentation, but above all, they have fun!”

I can’t wait to find out what happens at the NYC Regional competition!  I wish the Nerd Herd good luck!

—Gowtham Balaji

PHOTO: The Nerd Herd at the Brooklyn, New York, competition recently. The group won and is on its way to regional competition. (Photo Courtesy Gowtham Balaji)