A record number of students participated in the 2024 Arkansas SeaPerch Challenge on March 1 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The underwater robotics competition welcomed teams from 12 Arkansas counties and one Mississippi county to put their submersible robots to the test.
Three Grant County teams were winners. The overall winning junior, senior, open and wildcard teams will compete at the International SeaPerch Challenge from May 31-June 1 at the University of Maryland.
Arkansas 4-H and the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas host the annual competition, which began in 2016. Since then, the program has grown to 66 teams with 241 participating students.
Brad McGinley, Grant County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and director of the Arkansas SeaPerch Challenge, said this growth is due in part to the exciting nature of the program.
"It's a unique, hands-on project that I think many youth find fun and challenging," McGinley said. "The fact that it draws on real-world scenarios makes it even more interesting for the participants."
Rob Roedel, senior director of corporate communications for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, said the organization has also worked to increase program participation.
"The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas have worked to spread the great learning opportunities that SeaPerch provides to the youth of Arkansas," Roedel said. "Our team is actively working with schools and 4-H groups to provide assistance in purchasing kits and sponsoring the program."
Participants used more than three dozen parts to design and build their remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs, including pieces of pool noodles, electrical tape, 12-volt motors, PVC pipe and 3D-printed parts. Teams then steered their ROVs through an underwater obstacle course and mission course, which was designed to mimic deep-sea exploration.
Winning senior team:
Deep Water Vanguard from Grant County: Gavin McGinley, Gracie McGinley and Callen Shaw.
Winning junior team:
The Wet Willies from Grant County: Jaxson Andrews, Luke Douthit, Ryleigh Kimbrell and Miley McGinley.
Winning open team:
Aquanauts from Grant County: Garrett Key, Priyam Laxmi and Eli Watson.
Winning wildcard team:
Submarine Crew from Madison County: Elijah Franklin and Jayden Griffin.
HONORING HOPE BRAGG
Also during the event, a former 4-H leader was remembered. McGinley said it was important for the event to honor Hope Bragg, a former extension instructor in 4-H youth development for the Division of Agriculture who directed the SeaPerch program last year and was enthusiastic about its growth. On the underwater mission course, which included a door mechanism that teams had to open and close using their ROVs, "Hope" was stamped on the door in signature 4-H green.
Bragg, her husband Don and their children Kenny, 22, and Elizabeth, 19, were killed in a house explosion in Michigan on Dec. 30, 2023. The same blast injured their son Stephen, 16, and Hope Bragg's father, Richard Pruden, 72. Hope Bragg's husband was a project leader for the U.S. Forest Service and their children were active in 4-H.
"Hope Bragg was an amazing person," McGinley said. "Anyone who knew Hope knew her passion for science, teaching youth and lifelong learning. We wanted to make sure she was honored and remembered for the impact she had on the 4-H program and the lives of youth across the state."
The Arkansas 4-H Foundation established the Bragg Family Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will benefit a current 4-H member pursuing a college degree in natural resources or STEM-related -- science, technology, engineering and math -- fields. To learn more about the scholarship or make a donation, visit arkansas4hfoundation.org/ways-to-give/bragg-family-scholarship.aspx.
WORKING TOGETHER TOWARD GROWTH
Roedel said it is important for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas to support the mission of the SeaPerch program and Arkansas 4-H.
"The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas' heritage is closely linked to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, as extension agents were crucial in the establishment of the local electric cooperatives," he said. "Our two organizations have partnered on many initiatives together over the years. I see the SeaPerch program as another example of the success that can be achieved when 4-H and the cooperatives work together."
McGinley said the organization is crucial to the success of the SeaPerch program.
"The Electric Cooperatives' support has been key to the expansion of SeaPerch," he said. "Not only do they sponsor the Arkansas 4-H SeaPerch Challenge, but their willingness to put SeaPerch kits in the hands of youth across the state has been instrumental in helping more youth become involved.
"The partnership between the Electric Cooperatives and Arkansas 4-H is rooted in a passion for rural Arkansans and their families," McGinley said. "Together we are making a difference, and we look forward to that partnership only growing stronger in the future."
Roedel said he hopes to grow the SeaPerch program to attract more students and eventually hold regional competitions and a state championship in Arkansas.
For more information about the Arkansas 4-H SeaPerch Challenge, visit 4h.uada.edu. To learn more about the SeaPerch program, visit seaperch.org/about.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact a local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.
Rebekah Hall is with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.