House Resolution 102

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING NEW HOPE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAMS AND THEIR OUTSTANDING COACH SUSANNA "SUSIE" OGLESBY FOR FANTASTICALLY LEADING THE TEAMS TO THE VEX ROBOTICS STATE COMPETITIONS SINCE 2015.

WHEREAS, three teams from New Hope schools in Columbus, Mississippi, and their outstanding Coach Susanna Oglesby have won the Mississippi VEX Robotics Tournament and earned their way to the WORLDS VEX Robotics Championship; and

WHEREAS, passionate and dedicated teacher Susie Oglesby has superbly coached these teams toward championship wins for the past eight years, from 2014 to 2022; and

WHEREAS, earning one's way to the WORLDS competition is no easy task as the State Championship only takes 36 teams, and the VEX regional director will only take three Mississippi teams; and

WHEREAS, to qualify, the team must either win the Tournament and/or the Excellence Award or Highest Skills; and

WHEREAS, this year, two New Hope High School teams consisting of Aiden Martin, John Beatty, Trevor Davis, Joshua Wilcox and Thomas Oglesby were named state tournament champions, with Joshua Wilcox and Thomas Oglesby being named Robot Skills Challenge Champions, and Chloe Evans and Hayden Wofford placing second in the Robot Skills Challenge which leads them all to world competition; and

WHEREAS, at the middle school level, the New Hope team of Cooper Shepherd and Andrew Bozeman won the state VEX Robot Skills Challenge and are headed to the world contest; and

WHEREAS, the schools' winning streak began in 2015, when New Hope High School received an invitation as Tracy Doyle's Team, and in 2016, Tracy Doyle's Team won the VEX State Championship; and

WHEREAS, in 2017, New Hope Elementary won the VEX State Championship with students Thomas Oglesby, Joshua Wilcox and Brady Hogan; and

WHEREAS, in 2019, New Hope's Middle School joined in on the school's winning legacy by winning the VEX State Championship with students: Thomas Oglesby and Joshua Wilcox; and

WHEREAS, New Hope was on a roll in 2020 with numerous wins, including the VEX state championship with two teams, students: Brady Hogan, Ash Taylor, Nick Graham and Lucas Slogan; and

WHEREAS, that same year New Hope won the SKILLS division with students Thomas Oglesby and Joshua Wilcox, resulting in New Hope having three out of the four teams in the Final Four; and

WHEREAS, 2021 was no different for the school, as ninth graders Thomas Oglesby and Joshua Wilcox brought the VEX State Championship home to the school again; and

WHEREAS, these triumphs would not have been attainable except for the coaching and leadership skills of teacher Susanna Oglesby who started the Elementary Robotics Program with Jennifer Caldwell and Carol Brown in 2014-2015 and with Thomas Oglesby and Will Doyle when they were in third grade; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Oglesby went on to take over the Middle School Robotics Program from Mr. McDill as Coach for the VEX VRC Middle School with Jennifer Shepherd and she is now the Head Coach for VEX VRC for Middle School and High School Robotics; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to celebrate and honor the impressive accomplishments of Mississippi's youth and the teachers who inspire, work hard and bring positive recognition to our state worldwide:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate New Hope Elementary, Middle and High School Robotics teams and their outstanding Coach Susanna "Susie" Oglesby for successfully winning the Robotics State Competitions since 2015.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Coach Susie Oglesby, the principals of New Hope Elementary, Middle and High School and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.