ViperBots 6209 Venom wins the Judges’ Award for helping a Chinese team fix their broken robot.
Photo Credit: Karina Medina

By SUZANNE GALLIGHER, Contributor

Four Vandegrift ViperBots robotics teams — 6800 Valor, 6209 Venom, 7161 Hydra and 11503 HyperFang — did not disappoint at the FIRST Championship Houston last week, finishing the highest ever in their eight-year history.

The event at the George R. Brown Convention Center brought together 15,000 students from 43 countries contending for awards and recognition in competitive play through team-based robotics challenges within the framework and enthusiasm of a sporting event.

In the FIRST Tech Challenge track, ViperBots team Venom, Hydra and HyperFang set some impressive records.

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The Vandegrift floriculture team qualified for state with 3rd place floral team at the area contest. L-R: Makinna Pritchard, Ashley Burton, Magan Escamilla, advisor, Noel Attwood and Sydney Kuykendoll.

Makes history at VHS and LISD

By HALLIE LOCKE, BLAKELY DIMIERO, Vandegrift Voice

The Vandegrift FFA’s floriculture and vet science teams both competed in the State Career Development Event at Texas A&M University on April 28, and vet science placed first by less that a point.

“Last year the Vandegrift vet science team got 2nd place and missed nationals by a single point,” said Magan Escamilla, VHS agriscience teacher and FFA advisor. “This year, if you can believe it, the contest was even closer with 1st and 2nd place only being separated by .667 points.”

The vet science team — Lauren Stevens, Madeleine Rawlings, Natalie Kelliher and Zach Roush — will compete at the national contest held in Indianapolis Oct. 24 – 27.

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20180221_River Place Limited District

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

There were 770 ballots cast and River Place residents overwhelmingly approved the River Place Limited District and the tax rate on Election Day, May 5.

“Obviously 770 voters, that turnout is significant, more than what we anticipated in this type of election. Thanks to all of those who did vote,” said Scott Crosby, a River Place Limited District board member as well as the president of the River Place Homeowners Association.

There were 758 River Place residents in favor of ratifying or authorizing the continuation of the River Place Limited District and 12 opposing it, Crosby said.

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This is the view from the Vandegrift High School parking lot just after school let out April 27. Reporter Leslee Bassman began attempting to exit the lot at around 4 p.m., 15 minutes after school was dismissed, but did not reach RM 2222 until 4:32 p.m.

By LESLEE BASSMAN, Four Points News

Longtime Steiner Ranch resident Shannon Kramer said providing a secondary access road from the Vandegrift High and Four Points Middle school campuses is “nonnegotiable.”

“It’s a safety concern in general,” she said of the proposed road. “I can speak as a parent of an incoming (Vandegrift) freshman and my commute and my husband’s commute, having that road is essential for this community.”

However, a recent meeting between federal officials and school executives may offer hope to Kramer.

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