Mission Possible B

[Skink]

Our team was at a regional competition this past week ( I'm advising on MP) and one team had 4 students and a parent helping setup during the 30 min window. I asked the event supervisor ( from that school) if that was allowed and he told me " we're just being relaxed here." Not wanting to be a " little league parent" I let it go. Any advice on how to handle this, I'm pretty new to all this. We were at an invite in Indiana last month, and the supervisor ( Uncle Fester) ran the event with admirable precision. Which way are these usually run?

General rule 4. Teams cannot communicate with the outside while in a competition area. If the supervisor let them get parental help without putting them in Tier 2, then that was ran incorrectly. You don't know, though. This team easily could have been Tier 2'd for not knowing how to set up their device by themselves. This supervisor does seem rather lax, though, as if it had been an invitational. Good supervisors will stick to the rules. As suggested above, tell your coach.

Any opinions on whether this event is more appropriate for Div C as opposed to Div B ? I'm new to this, but it seems like there is more parental involvement than appropriate , but mostly because it seems a little beyond even the really bright kids in SO. Am I just underestimating the kids?

I can see both sides. On one hand, this event and its two pages of demands are ridiculous at our level. For many teams, it really is Mission Impossible. Does this get kids excited about science? Perhaps. Do teams always meet the objectives of the event? No. Was it worthwhile? You decide. Everyone's experience is different.

On the other hand, it's easy to call out this event as demanding, but there are plenty of others that are difficult to excel in at the middle school level yielding lower scores. Water Quality? Shock Value? Keep the Heat? Crave the Wave? Sounds? I could argue these events are all demanding. When considering the entire picture, Mission has its place because, like these events, there are many effectively clueless teams and the few that are well prepared.

Personally, I'd rather see Mission stay out of the B division, but I can't make a strong case against it without targeting other events, too.

[DatScienceKid]

Any opinions on whether this event is more appropriate for Div C as opposed to Div B ? I'm new to this, but it seems like there is more parental involvement than appropriate , but mostly because it seems a little beyond even the really bright kids in SO. Am I just underestimating the kids?

Yeah, I get mad when the parents do everything. Me and my team are doing everything besides the hardest construction (making the actual three sided box, but we did all the measurements) and the only thing his parents had to do with the building of this box was "why did you cut the very end off of a 2'6''????" so yeah. Try doing everything you can by yourself, and ignore the other teams.

[Skink]

You get that for many events, though. Mousetrap and Boom less so, but ask Heli, Sounds, and Egg Drop teams about their devices to probably hear a lot of 'My dad built it.'s. There's little effective way to police that other than to encourage teams to follow the General Rules.

[ShadowMasterZr]

Yes i have 3 motors. But how do you suggest i go about with the final task? Should i use a scissor lift or something else?

Scissor lift is possible. Look at a common car jack; most of them operate using a scissor lift. A screw is turned in a horizontal position and the load is lifted vertically. But you can also use just a screw in a vertical position and let the platform rise up the threads as the screw is turned.

you also can have a string tied to a bottom leg of the scissor lift, and slowly have a motor wind up the string, bringing up the platform.

[goodcheer]

Any opinions on whether this event is more appropriate for Div C as opposed to Div B ? I'm new to this, but it seems like there is more parental involvement than appropriate , but mostly because it seems a little beyond even the really bright kids in SO. Am I just underestimating the kids?

Its one of the best events (perhaps the best) that allows students hands-on learning with a broad range of scientific and technological principles. It would be hard to estimate how much students learn on this event if a parent or coach develops a good method of instruction and actually teaches about the concepts involved. Its true some middle schoolers can grasp the science more than others, but some can grasp a screwdriver or drill better than others. Some never handle tools until they participate in science olympiad. MP is great for middle schoolers in my opinion. I believe it has actually gotten better with the addition of some specific tasks (especially where calculations have to be made like IMA). However, it could be some of the tasks are too complicated or there are too many specific tasks and not enough generic ones.

[olympiaddict]

I think Mission is a fantastic event both for middle school and for high school. (I believe that some years back it was a Div C event.)
While I think that many of the tasks are challenging, they provide a great learning experience and teach many concepts, skills, and practices that can be used in future events, and outside of science olympiad.
It's true that parent involvement is a concern, but that's true of every and any build event. It's just sort of the nature of building- you can't build something without materials, and sometimes, those materials are expensive. I would even say Mission is better than many events in regards to outside advantages. First-off, while materials are necessary for any build event, a high-placing device at the more competitive tournaments will, in my opinion, require some expenditure. (Not looking to start a debate on that- it's been thoroughly discussed. but my opinion on that is that you have to spend wisely, not spend more money, to a certain point.) but a high-caliber Mission can be built with minimal structural materials, household items, and the purchase of only a small collection of more specific items. This is one of its biggest strengths in my opinion.
It also focuses on creativity and outside-the-box thinking foremost instead of precision, power, efficiency, etc. foremost, which is something that really sets it apart from other build events.
I think that it is a very challenging event for middle school, but it also provides a fantastic introduction to engineering principles.
However, I do think it would be a really good idea to bring Mission back to Division C (although I don't see a reason it couldn't be an event in both), because it's an event that can be competitive on any level by the nature of modular tasks.

[leeumpetro]

Uhm...guys...I don't have my contraption built I forgot i was in the event until right before our competition! what do you reckon i should do! im using the FREE WIFI to post this and have 6 pieces of balsa, an army man, a blob of silly puddy, and a small piece of gum. Please i need help my coach will kill me if i don't do good in this event help!!!!

[Oddrenaline]

That describes every day before a competition in Mission for us.

[Cjkowalcz]

Uhm...guys...I don't have my contraption built I forgot i was in the event until right before our competition! what do you reckon i should do! im using the FREE WIFI to post this and have 6 pieces of balsa, an army man, a blob of silly puddy, and a small piece of gum. Please i need help my coach will kill me if i don't do good in this event help!!!!

First, rip up your piece of gum into five equal sized pieces. Attach the six pieces of balsa together with the gum, forming a hexagonal shape (any size). Then, stretch out the silly putty so it covers the gap in the hexagon. Then, place the army man in the middle. Lastly, stop trying to be funny on the forums.