OAKHURST — Glacier High School’s underwater robotics team Altum Operations has resurfaced following an elite international ROV competition in Kingsport, Tenn., last weekend — as winners of the ‘Guts and Glory’ Award.
There were, 70 teams and 810 students from 19 countries competing in the event, held June 20 – 22.
Altum Operations was recognized for their amazing ability to adapt, persevere, and overcome various challenges, while still achieving one of the top Product Demonstration scores from their pool mission of 225 points.
Glacier High and Aptos High represented Central and Northern California. Aptos ended up as the World Champions in the Ranger level. (Photos courtesy Glacier High School)
Altum is a Latin word that means, among other definitions, ‘deep water,’ explains Glacier High School instructor John Rumohr. The team’s mentor, Rumohr says Altum Operations has been around for several years and has been competing in regional competitions since 2016.
Recently, the team raised money to support their travel to Tennessee after advancing to the 2019 MATE international ROV competition. The MATE center uses underwater robots to teach science, technology, engineering and mathenatics (STEM) and prepare students for technical careers, according to the organization’s website.
Working in partnership with the Marine Technology Society ROV Committee, MATE created the ROV competition as a way to engage students in STEM and expose them to science and technology careers, while encouraging students to develop technical, teamwork and problem solving skills. MATE also may provide funds, materials, and technical expertise to support student learning in order to provide the industry with skilled individuals who can fill workforce needs in the future.
As recipients of the ‘Guts and Glory’ award, Altum Operations received $500 from Blue Robotics and a $150 Amazon gift card.
