Jackson County was well-represented at the 2025 Indiana Robotics State Championship on March 22 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.
There were 122 teams competing in the elementary school division, 111 in the middle school division and 64 in the high school division.
In the elementary division, Immanuel Lutheran School Team 520C (Jonathan Rice, Joshua Haugen and Jacquelynn Rice) placed 73rd, St. Ambrose Catholic School Team 3522G (Oliver Cutsinger, Ashley Alexander, Zoe Barradas and Felicity Hughes) placed 102nd and Jackson County Homeschool Robotics Team 1597Z (Daniel Hinckley, Micah McIntyre, James Timberlake and Raychael Timberlake) placed 110th.
In the middle school division, Lutheran Central School Team 47220B (Collin McKinley, Hank Stuckwisch and Waylon Wolka) placed 75th and Immanuel Lutheran School Team 520C (Gabrian Wilkins, Daniel Neawedde and Elizabeth Scheiderer) placed 92nd.
In the high school division, Seymour High School Team 31330D (Micah Yee, Kaeden Leonard, Noah Chambers and Ethan Rubin) placed 40th and Trinity Lutheran High School Team 1483C (Jacob Lorenz, Lincoln Huff, Rylan Adair and Nolan Teipen) placed 57th.
This school year, there were 2,060 Indiana robotics teams, and 297 of them were at state, making it the largest state championship in the country.
The results of the 2025 Maverick Challenge Jackson County are in!
The winners are Isaiah Sitterding and Jack Pace of Brownstown Central High School. They were among the top 10 finalists who delivered oral presentations March 5 at the Community Foundation of Jackson County in Seymour.
Their business is S & P Outdoor Productions, which makes insulated hunting blinds. They were awarded $3,000 for winning the high school business planning competition.
Next was Seymour High School’s Olivia Wilp with Rock and Roll Rink, a roller skating rink designed to help with mental health and those with disabilities. She received $2,500.
Seymour High School’s Michael Brooks was given $450 for his business plan for Infinity Lead, a lead attachment for mechanical pencils, and Brownstown Central High School’s Presley Hampton also received $450 for her business plan for Next Level Stylist, a fashion app to search for formal wear.
Participation awards of $100 were given to the other finalists:
-Bryan Jaime, Seymour High School, Pal’ Mundo Entero, a food truck that serves Puerto Rican sandwiches and more
-Andrea Heideman, Seymour High School, Easy Life, an adaptive device to help with everyday activities
-Mikayla McCory, Medora High School, Vest Friends, a vest with an adjustable harness for dogs
-Jayda Clodfelder, Brownstown Central High School, Jay’s Designs, an interior design service
-Caleb Walton, Brownstown Central High School, Caleb’s Cases, a personalized cellphone case business
-Mallory Applegate, Seymour High School, Uniquely Me Pottery, a pottery business
JCIDC, Jackson County Chamber, Brownstown Ewing Main Street and Seymour Main Street are the sponsors of the competition along with funding partner JCBank. A total of $7,000 was up for grabs for the top 10 finalists.
There were 25 teams from Brownstown Central, Crothersville, Medora and Seymour high schools who participated in the competition. Ten local business volunteers served as mentors: Eric Stam, Ryan Kemp, Ryon Wheeler, Stephanie Strothmann, Brittany Percival, Kendra Zumhingst, Solomon Rust, Michelle Schaefer, Karen Dringenburg and Pete Ellery. The judges of the oral presentations were Brett Bevers, Doug Prather and Fayeann Hauer.
New this year, the winner will be one of the finalists in the SPARK Tank competition, giving them the chance to win up to $10,000. That’s set for March 27 at Jackson Live & Event Center in Seymour.
Students also could enter the state’s Innovate WithIN competition, which has a regional competition in the spring and finals in June with the ultimate winner receiving $25,000. Heideman entered that competition and was chosen as a regional finalist. She will present April 22 at Maker13 in Jeffersonville.
Maverick Challenge began in 2008 in Bartholomew County, and Jackson County joined the program in 2011. Two years ago, Bartholomew County ended the program, but Jackson County leaders kept it going in the county with a partnership between the four sponsors and the funding partner.
We tried something different for the quarterly meeting of the Jackson County HR group March 13.
JCIDC intern Parker Thompson was tasked with putting together a panel of his peers to give local human resources representatives an opportunity to hear how Work Based Learning and JCIDC Workforce Partnership activities have benefited them in high school.
Parker and fellow Seymour High School seniors Greer Henry, Brady Harpe, Trevor Goecker and Justin Laiz had an opportunity to ask the HR reps questions, and the HR reps were able to ask them questions. The panelists’ future plans include going to college, joining the military or entering the workforce in the skilled trades.
After that, attendees were led on a tour of the Seymour Ag-Science and Research Farm in the Freeman Field Industrial Park by administrator Joy Stuckwisch. Stops included the expanded space housing more classrooms, a machining lab, a welding lab, a food lab and the greenhouse.
Thanks to Parker, Greer, Brady, Trevor and Justin for being part of the panel, and thanks to the HR reps and Seymour Community School Corp. officials who attended.
A pair of Seymour robotics teams claimed awards at a VEX Robotics tournament March 1 at New Palestine High School.
Seymour High School Team 31330A, consisting of Nicole Ray, Hannah Baker, Dafne Dominguez and Taylor LeBlanc, brought home the Sportsmanship Award.
“This girl-powered team brought the energy to some of the top teams in Indiana,” according to the Seymour High School Robotics Facebook page. “They even strategically grabbed Boogie Woogie’s stake from positive points to the negative zone. These girls kept their cool while the opponent debated their moves with the ref. Ultimately, the-girl powered game play ruffled some feathers, and the crowd went wild with the girls.”
Seymour Middle School Team 30013A, consisting of Caydyn Parks and Cruz Gaspar-Pascual, received the Inspire Award.
“This team got a program running for autonomous points and got their top score skills points,” according to the SHS Robotics Facebook page. “They are now middle school skills ranked 18/47 teams in Indiana. We are so proud of how well this first-year VRC middle school team has done.”
The second Jackson County JAG Day was Feb. 25 at AISIN World Corp. of America in Seymour.
The event began with a welcome from Dave Stagnolia with AISIN before the nearly 40 Jobs for America’s Graduates seniors from Brownstown Central, Crothersville, Medora and Seymour high schools rotated between three workshops.
OAopoly was a large Monopoly-style game led by AISIN where students had to answer questions related to operation availability in manufacturing. IU Columbus staff led a workshop where students learned about the cost of college and financial aid and completed a worksheet. Army National Guard members led the other workshop where students practiced teamwork and communication by connecting tubes and moving a marble through them from one wall to another.
At the networking lunch, students sat in groups based on their plans after high school and were joined by local school, industry and community officials for networking.
Then students and guests heard from Southeast Indiana Workforce Investment Board Executive Director Kurt Kegerreis and South Ripley High School JAG student and JAG Indiana Career Association President Angel Tunny. Kurt spoke about JAG in Jackson County and Indiana, while Angel shared how JAG has impacted her life.
Then the day ended with trivia, emceed by Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson. JCIDC intern Parker Thompson created the trivia that featured nine categories. The winning team, The Red Team from Brownstown Central High School, received Walmart gift cards.
JCIDC was joined by AISIN, Cummins Seymour Engine Plant and Walmart Seymour as event sponsors. AISIN allowed use of the facility and OAopoly, Cummins donated money for the event and Walmart donated the breakfast and lunch supplies and also contributed to the treat bags all students received. Pet Supplies Plus also donated items for the treat bags.
Thanks to all of the community members who participated in the networking lunch.
Thanks to Seymour High School’s Owl Manufacturing for designing and printing the JAG Day shirts for the students.
Thanks to the speakers and JAG Indiana representatives who attended.
Thanks to all of the JAG seniors and specialists from the four Jackson County public high schools who attended. They also set up their own displays to highlight their activities.
Look for coverage of the event soon in The Tribune, as reporter Chey Smith was there to report on it.
JAG is a state-based, national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping high school students of promise who have experienced challenging or traumatic life experiences achieve success through graduation. The resiliency-building workforce program helps students learn in-demand employability skills and provides a bridge to postsecondary education and career advancement opportunities.
Currently, there are 250 JAG programs available throughout Indiana, including at all four Jackson County public high schools.
A Seymour High School robotics team has received an invitation to the 2025 Indiana Robotics State Championship.
Team 31330D, consisting of Ethan Rubin, Micah Yee, Noah Chambers and Kaeden Leonard, will be heading to the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis on March 22 to compete in that tournament.
“Their teamwork in building, driving, testing and retesting and ultimately having a terrific autonomous program while continuously increasing their high score in skills has earned them an invite,” according to a post on the Seymour High School Robotics Facebook page. “We are so proud of our Robotic Owls. Game well played.”
The team currently is ranked fifth in the state.
During the recent tournament Feb. 22 in Pekin, the team also earned the Innovate Award.
