Building robots and competing in an annual competition is just one part of what being a member of First Robotics team T-Rx 145 is all about. In addition, students learn to be team players, cooperate with students in other school districts and the importance of community service.
The group, which is currently made up of approximately 20 students in ninth through twelfth grade, includes students from five area schools. Students from Sherburne, Oxford, Bainbridge-Guilford and Unadilla Valley join the students in Norwich to make up team 145. The team welcomes students with many different areas of interest. Students do everything from design and building the robot and the controls, to public relations for the group and soliciting donations. In addition to the student participation, the group also has approximately ten community member mentors.
Ninth grader Emily Perry explained the organization revolves around a robotics competition. Each group in the world-wide organization works to create an operational robot in six weeks. “It’s a lot of collaboration,” Perry said.
Technology teacher and team advisor David Wright explained that by working with engineers from the community, the students are able to learn what it takes to make a robot in a short amount of time. Each year, in early January, a new game is released, and teams work to understand the rules for the year and the tasks the robot needs to accomplish.
Team 145 attended the regional competition in early March. When the robot was completed, Perry explained it was able to knock a ball 40 inches in diameter off of an overpass. It could also put the ball back on the overpass. Wright said this was the first year the robot was shipped to the competition fully ready to go.
Out of the 42 teams at the competition, Team 145 took third place. The group also was awarded the Rockwell Automation Innovation in Control Award. Team 145 is currently looking for engineers from the community to become mentors. Anyone interested should contact the school at 334-1600.