MAPS To the Rescue!

Students combine creativity, technical knowledge in humanitarian mission

There was a forest fire on the third floor of Highland Park High School on May 13, and it was up to students in the Moody Advanced Professional Studies program to save the day.

Members of the MAPS engineering and design class were tasked with completing a mock humanitarian mission in this year’s Grand Prix. Speed was part of the challenge, but so was steering a remote-controlled vehicle, crossing various types of terrain, and effectively communicating with teammates.

“One of the big aspects that you have in terms of innovation for engineering and science is how do we improve the world outside,” explained Tiffany Syfert, who co-teaches the course with Chris Fullwood. “I wanted them to think in terms of how can we model something and think through that idea right now, and start pushing forward instead of just build a car.” 

To accomplish their mission, students had to maneuver their vehicles off a miniature helipad, turn on a communication tower and road lights, check a birdhouse-village for survivors, and put out a faux fire by ringing bells at a tiny water tower and forest constructed of Christmas trees and used props. 

Students were penalized if they damaged the course, or if their car got stuck and they had to rescue it by picking it up. They could earn points by constructing quality vehicles, communicating well, and choosing a design that fit the rescue mission theme.

There were a number of routes to success, and students imagined a wide variety of vehicles. One team built a duck boat, while others decided on designs that resembled Hummers and delivery robots, or combined the elements of sports cars with rugged off-road vehicles.

Teammates Demir Bilhan, Christopher Mader, and Odis Shoaf managed to turn on the communication tower and lights with their sturdy-looking vehicle, Frankenbeast, before it plummeted off the ramp and into the burning forest, knocking over several trees and landing upside down.

Though they lost points for the damage to the forest and rescuing their car, the team members continued their mission and managed to ring the bells to put out the fire.

“We did pretty good, considering it fell off the tower and flipped over,” Bilhan and Shoaf said. “It took a big hit, but we recovered well, and we finished.”

The team of Jake Rhine, Owen Glaser, and Ryan Scheipe put function before beauty on their car, Big Blue, which was the largest to try the course on May 13. The team modeled their vehicle after a Subaru Crosstrek, but got creative and added a notebook cover to their design after they ran into trouble 3D printing.

Chase Vicente, Blake Trusler, Isaac McConnell, and Teddy Alder created an armored bulldozer they ironically named Princess. The vehicle had two controllers and airless tires inspired by the NASA Mars Rover, and did not include any prefabricated parts other than its electronics. 

The project, MAPS teacher Syfert explained, required students to combine their ingenuity with the knowledge of support structures, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering they’ve gained this year.

“When we give them a little bit more choice and freedom, it’s amazing to see where the kids go in their thinking,” she said.