Forty of the best and brightest high school robotics teams from Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia will compete at Blacksburg High School on March 29-31, 2019. The event is free and open to the public. Local Team 401 Copperheads will be hosts and competing.
FIRST stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” and the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is recognized as the premier international high school engineering challenge.
FIRST is an international non-profit that engages kindergarten through high school kids in exciting, mentor-based, research and robotics programs that help them become science and technology leaders, as well as well-rounded contributors to society according to the group’s website. FIRST Chesapeake is an independent non-profit that brings STEM-based leadership programs to students in Virginia and high school students in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
More than 6,700 students participate in the 300+ teams administered by FIRST Chesapeake. Almost 57,000 people attended FIRST Chesapeake events last year and another 90,000 viewed them online.
Working closely with teachers and volunteer mentors, student teams have six weeks to conceptualize, design, build, program, modify and test remote-controlled robots to participate in a competition that changes each year. Teams work with a common core set of parts, but determine on their own how to accomplish tasks. Thus, no two robots are exactly alike.
This year’s game is Destination: Deep Space. Presented by Boeing, the game simulates a mission to an alien planet where teams work in alliances and pilot their remote-controlled robots to secure hatches and load cargo on space ships.
Team 401 Copperheads will be the host as well as compete to earn points to hopefully advance to the district and national level competitions. Team 401 is comprised of Montgomery County students, grades 9-12, from each of the four high schools. They’ll build a 120-pound robot that can collect and secure the hatches of rockets and cargo shipment containers. Then, the robot has to collect and load large orange ball cargo into the rockets and containers.
Team 401 has been working every non-school hour since the Destination: Deep Space game elements were announced on Jan. 5.
Students were divided into sub-teams: chassis, controls, manipulators and awards. This is not only to build a robot but to provide STEM outreach to the community; sharing the team’s hands-on learning and the benefits to younger students and business leaders.
CHS Sophomore Patrick Holder showed off the disc brakes and neo-motors on the robot among miles of electrical wiring.
Holder said, “These motors are brushless, lighter and stronger.”
Holder was proud that this robot required no welding. Therefore, anything needing repairs or replacement can be easily done in the team’s competition pit. The robot has parts that were 3D printed. The positioning systems and cameras on the robot will help the driver move the robot during the “sandstorm” portion of the 2 minutes 30 seconds match.
The robot has a ground intake and a claw to help pick up the hatches in two ways. Four air tanks with a compressor will help launch the cargo balls into the rocket or cargo ship.
BHS Senior Hope Bass feels very good and proud of Team 401s robot.
Bass said, “Our team worked so hard. The design is what we imagined. It functions well and we are ready for competition.
Approximately 130 FRC teams in VA/MD/DC vie throughout March in qualifying matches to earn spots at the FIRST Chesapeake District Championship at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA April 10-13. Top performers at the District event will go on to compete at the FIRST World Championship presented by Qualcomm, in Detroit, MI April 24-27.
“FRC is known far and wide as the ‘ultimate sport for the mind,’” Leighann Scott said.
Boland, executive director for FIRST Chesapeake.
“We’re so proud of what these students accomplish. They gain technical and engineering skills along with learning critically important life skills like teamwork and problem solving.”
The FIRST Chesapeake District Event will be held at BHS, 3401 Bruin Ln in Blacksburg.
Friday, March 29: Teams arrive & set up (this day only not open to public)
Saturday, March 30: Opening Ceremonies 10:30am
Qualifying heats 11am-7pm (lunch break 1-2pm)
Sunday, March 31: Opening Ceremonies 9am
Qualifying heats 9:30am-12:30pm, (lunch break 1-2pm)
Elimination rounds 2-5pm
Awards ceremonies: 5pm-6:30pm (estimated)
This event will also feature a FIRST LEGO League Jr Expo on Saturday March 30 at 10:00am. FIRST LEGO League Jr. is designed to introduce STEM concepts to kids ages 6 to 10. This year’s challenge is Mission Moon.
Contacts:
Lisa Bass
Volunteer Coordinator, District Event at BHS
lisa@aciwebs.com
540-320-1591
Leighann Scott Boland
Executive Director, FIRST Chesapeake
lboland@firstchesapeake.org
804-514-7712
