BEST Competitions & Awards
BEST Competitions
There are two parallel competitions at the local hub level: Robotics and The BEST Award. UIL teams must participate in the BEST Award competition to be eligible for the UIL Championship. Teams that win at local hubs advance to one of three regional championships.
BEST Awards
All participating teams receive plaques. Trophies are awarded to:
- 1st - 3rd place finishing game competition teams
- 4th place (finalist)
- 1st - 3rd place BEST teams
COMPETITION AWARDS
Founder's Award for Creative Design
- Most unusual approach to solving the problem
- Best use of engineering process
- Unusal offensive/defensive machine capabilities
Most Robust
- Machine requiring least maintenance during contest (during matches, between matches), general sturdiness
Software Design and Simulation Award
- Awarded to the team who is able to best describe and articulate their software design process, techniques and experiences in their Engineering Notebook. It is intended to recognize teams who understand programming as an essential part of their robot design.
Simulink Design Award: Judged at Regional
- Open to all teams participating in the competition. Award will be presented to one team at each region that best applies the Simulink Support Package for VEX. To apply for the award, teams are required to submit their model and link to video. Teams must submit their entries by the specified date for their region.
Spirit/Sportsmanship Award
- Team demonstrating outstanding spirit, the team's conduct during the competition as well as their t-shirt design, etc.
High School Notebook Award
- Team with highest notebook scores
Middle School Award
- Based on notebook, game competition and spirit
The Best Award
The BEST Award is the most prized of all awards. It is presented to the team that best embodies the concept of BEST through diversity of participation, exposure to and use of the engineering process, spirit and sportsmanship, teamwork, creativity, positive attitude, enthusiasm, and school/community involvement.
BEST Award Criteria
- All teams are eligible for the BEST Award
- In accordance with BEST philosophy, materials submitted by the teams MUST be the work of the students.
- Judging is based on five criteria (100 points possible):
- Project Engineering Notebook (30 points)
- Marketing Presentation (25 points)
- Team Exhibit and Interviews (20 points)
- Spirit and Sportsmanship (10 points)
- Robot Performance (15 points)
See "Award and Judging Policies and Award and Judging Policies Appendix" for details.
Award Specifics - Project Engineering Notebook (30 points):
See award and judging policies for notebook specifications.
Purpose - Documentation of the process the team used to design, build and test their robot.
- Implementation of the Engineering Design Process
- Research paper (2-5 pgs) documenting correlation between the game theme and how related technology is used
- Brainstorming approaches
- Analytical evaluation of design alternatives
- Offensive/defensive evaluation
- Software Design and Simulation evidence
- Safety
- Support documentation (32 single-sided pgs max) not including title page/Table of Contents; supplemental appendix of no more than 20 double-sided sheets may be included
- Overall quality and completeness
Notebooks will be submitted as an electronic PDF file. Scores used to determine which 4 teams earn a chance for the single "wildcard" slot during playoff rounds.
Award Specifics - Marketing Presentation (25 points):
Purpose - geared as a company (the team) marketing their product (robot) to prospective buyers (judges)
- Team scored on:
- Company demographics, budget, operation (5 pts)
- Design & Manufacturing Process (Engineering process) (3pts)
- Marketing strategies (3pts)
- Use of technology (4pts)
- Quality of presentation (10pts)
- Minimum of 4 students must participate; maximum of 8 students may be present; no adults – including set-up / take down
- Representation from more than one grade is encouraged.
- Format is prerogative of team
- Overhead, TV/VCR, projection equipment and plug strip will be available. Other equipment must be provided by the team.
- Videotaping by team representatives will be allowed.
Award Specifics - Team Exhibit and Interview (20 points):
See 2016 Awards and Judging WTexas Logistics for details.
Purpose - Shows promotion of BEST concept, use of technology, creativity
- Exhibit (13 pts)
- Sharing information and/or technology resources
- Presentations/ robot demonstrations to other schools / community groups
- Publicity generated
- Fundraising/sponsorship efforts
- Use of technology, display models, creativity and compliance with specifications
- Interview (7 pts)
- Enthusiasm & learning experience from BEST
- Recruitment efforts
- Fundraising
- Evidence that students were primary designers/builders of robot
BEST Award Competition
Spirit and Sportsmanship (10 points):
- Evaluated during Game Day competition during rounds; evaluations of team's conduct in seating area/game floor/ pit area
- Includes outward display of sportsmanship (students – Not mentors), grace, conduct, and attitude
Robot Performance (15 points):
- Top 20% - 15 pts
- Top 40% - 12 pts
- Top 60% - 9 pts
- Top 80% - 6 pts
- Top 100% - 3 pts
- Team unable to score any points – 0 pts
BEST SPECIFIC AWARDS
BEST CAD/Graphic Design Award
- Team demonstrating most creative CAD/graphic design work
BEST Team Exhibit/Interview Award
- BEST Team based on table/display/interview scores
BEST Market Presentation
- BEST Team based on oral presentation scores
BEST Middle School Award
- Middle School with highest overall BEST scores