Clarenville Repeats as Regional ROV Champions

For the second consecutive year, Clarenville High School won the Marine  Advanced Technology Education Centre (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle NL  regional competition. The event, held annually at the Fisheries and  Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland's flume  tank, attracted 20 high schools from across the province to MI on May  4-5

Sunday, May 6, 2012

O'Donel High School of Mount Pearl also finished second at the competition for the second year in a row, with Mount Pearl Senior High School claiming third spot.

"The students from Clarenville deserve a round of applause for their remarkable achievement," said Glenn Blackwood, vice president, Memorial University (Marine Institute). "In fact, we congratulate every team for showing great enthusiasm for this event. The ROVs they build and pilot are technically-advanced machines that are the result of months of hard work, creativity and expertise. The Marine Institute is proud to host this competition where young people are exposed to the field of ocean technology, a field that has been identified as a leading sector for careers and businesses in this Province."

The top two teams will now move on to the MATE International ROV Competition at the YMCA Aquatic & Family Center in Orlando, Florida June 21 - 23, 2012. They will be joined by the Eastern Edge Robotics team comprised of students from the Marine Institute, and the faculties of Engineering, Science and Education, Memorial University.

Since 2003, Eastern Edge has fared very well internationally, bringing home three first place, two second place and two third place finishes while competing against teams from prestigious universities and colleges from around the world.

"We are confident Clarenville and O'Donel will continue to represent the province proudly at the internationally competition," said Dwight Howse, head, School of Ocean Technology, Marine Institute. "The primary goal though is to challenge students to think beyond the classroom and to develop and apply their project management, innovation, and technical and teamwork skills. The event is designed to be a learning experience that provides students with a look into the exciting careers that exist in ocean technology," said Howse.

The competition is supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, Hibernia Management and Development Company, Terra Nova, Statoil, Subsea7, Husky Energy and AMEC.

Participating high schools in the event included Ascension Collegiate High School, Belanger Memorial, Botwood Collegiate, Carbonear Collegiate, Clarenville High School, Corner Brook Regional High, E.A Butler All Grade, Gander Collegiate, Heritage Collegiate, Holy Spirit High School, Holy Trinity High School, Lewisporte Collegiate, Mount Pearl Senior High School, O'Donel High School, Pearson Academy, Prince of Wales Collegiate, Queen Elizabeth Regional High School, St. James' Regional High, St. Lawrence Academy, and St. Mark's School.