“Listen. In order to maintain air-speed velocity, a swallow needs to beat its wings forty-three times every second, right?”– Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Established in 2006, The Barstow Kuhnigits are based in Kansas City, MO, at The Barstow School. A product of our small school setting, the team is very close-knit, sharing in a deep sense of family and community. Currently in the 2012 season, Rebound Rumble, we are composed mostly of freshmen and sophomores. We also have juniors on our FIRST team, but there currently are no seniors participating. Several international students have signed up on the FIRST team, and they have been a great source of perspective.
To begin, let us explain where our name comes from. In the 1974 film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, we follow King Arthur and his not-so valiant knights across Camelot. In one particular scene, a French castle guard calls the Knights “Kuhnigits.” Seeing as the Knight is the school mascot of Barstow and the team’s love of Monty Python, the choice of the Kuhnigits was an obvious decision. Another staple of the English laughfest, the killer rabbit, was adopted as the mascot of the budding team.
Many members of our team have other activities that they do as well as participate in the FIRST team. We have some amazing debaters as crucial parts of our FIRST team. Other members take part in our school musicals and plays.
We like to help other teams. Some of our team leaders spend hours coaching other teams, either through ChiefDelphi or through one of the various community outreach programs we’re involved in. In addition, we also do demonstrations around the community to educate the surrounding populous on STEM education and robotics and actively assist in the Barstow School’s FIRST Lego League team. We have also earned several awards, including the Coopertition Award, the Imagery Award and Finalist medals and trophies from the Kansas City Regional and the Oklahoma City Regional.
AWARDS
2013
INAUGURAL ARKANSAS RAZORBACK REGIONAL
Rank 2 with a record of 12-4-1 and won the following awards:
Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen
GREATER KANSAS CITY REGIONAL
Rank 2 with a record of 13-3-0 and won the following awards:
Regional Finalists
Quality Award sponsored by Motorola
Wild Card
2012
GREATER KANSAS CITY REGIONAL
Rank 20 with a record of 5-4-0
OKLAHOMA CITY REGIONAL
Team 1939 was Rank 4 with a record of 11-2-0 and won the following awards:
Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen
2011
Dean’s List inductee: Austin Abitz, ’11.
Imagery Award – Minnesota North Star
Imagery Award – Kansas City Regional
Finalist – Kansas City Regional
Best Dressed Team Award – CowTown ThrowDown
2010:
Finalist - Oklahoma City Regional
Coopertition Award – Oklahoma City Regional
Quality Award – Oklahoma City Regional
2008:
Engineering Inspiration Award – Greater Kansas City Regional
2006:
Chrysler Team Spirit Award – Greater Kansas City Regional
Best Dressed Team Award – CowTown ThrowDown
Team Mentors
Gavin Wood - Team Coach
Craig Cunningham - Assistant Coach
Andy Shimamoto - Resident math geek and analyst of all things
Matt Thurman - Mathematics Teacher, mentor
Erik Heitmann - Mechanical Engineer, mentor
Brandon Huizenga - Problem solver, geeks out with Andy, mechanical mentor
Paul Rupp - Mechanical Engineer and race car enthusiast
Norbert Russ - Electrical and Mechanical genius and resident tightener of things.
Linda Olson - Electrical Engineer and Planning