Businesses, families, and friends are encouraged to cheer for their favorite team competing in the Bipedal Robotic Sumo and Soccer Tournament Fundraiser sponsored by Waiakea High School Foundation and WHS Robotics at the Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Businesses, families, and friends are encouraged to cheer for their favorite team competing in the Bipedal Robotic Sumo and Soccer Tournament Fundraiser sponsored by Waiakea High School Foundation and WHS Robotics at the Prince Kuhio Plaza in Hilo on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ten teams will be competing with tiny walking robots which are approximately 2 ½ inches tall and 2 inches wide. The teams are being sponsored by Dave Okamura, Ryan Iwasaki, Vaughn Cook, KTA Super Stores, Henry Nakamoto and the class of 1982, Karen Irie, Louann Kimura & AVID, Takamine Construction, Riley Ceria, and Colin Uemura & Hawaii Fork Lift.
Dale Olive, WHS Foundation director, science teacher and robotics advisor, notes that the “bipedal Sumo Grand Basho contest will feature one robot versus another, while the team soccer tournament requires teams of three.” He has sponsored a practice session for novice teams and is coordinating the event.
Henry Nakamoto, president of the WHS Foundation, has entered a team for the class of 1982 to build awareness about the WHS Foundation, as well as to raise funds. He notes that funds raised from tournament registration as well as the ongoing WHS Foundation campaign will be used for two purposes: ” to help continue the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program at Waiakea High School, and to build the endowment fund.”
For more information about the foundation and the AVID program, go to www.waiakeahsfoundation.org. Contributions made online are welcomed, as are checks made payable to the WHS Foundation, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, can be mailed to WHS Foundation, 155 West Kawili St., Hilo, HI 96720.