NORWICH – Members of the Chenango County FIRST Robotics Team – T-Rx 145 – visited Norwich Pharmaceuticals Thursday for a tour, panel discussion, lunch and demonstration of their award-winning robot, “Clamps,” in appreciation of the company’s sponsorship in 2011.
In early March, the team – comprised of high school students from Norwich, Sherburne-Earlville, Otselic Valley and Unadilla Valley – beat out over 30 others hailing from Canada and the Northeast at the Finger Lakes Regional FIRST Competition in Rochester to reach the final four, according to FIRST Team Mentor Jon Ryan.
After being retired by an alliance team that utilized excellent strategy and defense versus its robot “Clamps,” Team T-Rx 145 came away with the competition’s Imagery Award, for attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration of machine and team appearance, he added.
Dozens of Norwich Pharmaceutical employees were on hand to witness the team’s demonstration of the multiple tasks “Clamps” was challenged to complete in Rochester. Despite some early difficulties with the robot’s wireless capabilities, the crowd was enthusiastic with its applause every time it pulled-off a successful maneuver.
“It was great to be able to show our sponsor what is happening with their donation,” stated Ryan of the robotics display. “For them to meet some of the students and see what can be accomplished by local kids was awesome.”
Norwich Pharmaceuticals Director of Human Resources Ric Festarini said that – because the company relies so heavily on technology and employees with technical skill sets – it’s important to encourage local youth to consider future studies in technology.
“There are great career opportunities right here in Norwich,” said Festarini of Norwich Pharmaceuticals’ corporate strategy of promoting the development of technical talent in youth. “We believe that encouraging young people from the area to enter technical fields of study will create a much stronger talent pool from which to recruit.”
Norwich High School junior Angelina Festarini said she enjoyed the tour of the facility in particular, because she and her fellow team members had an opportunity to see how far robots can go in regards to industry.
Mike Combes – a senior at Sherburne-Earlville – said he thought it was cool that Norwich Pharmaceutical technicians had questions for the students, and felt they were genuinely impressed by “Clamps.”
“This was an extremely successful day for us,” said Festarini. “I believe that the kids got a lot out of their visit and our employees really enjoyed the opportunity to share their love for technology with young people considering which direction to take their future studies. I’m convinced that we really did something good for our community today.”
Ryan said the team wished to thank its other sponsors as well – Norwich Glass, The Balloon Detail, NBT Bank, M.J. Murray Photography and the Mid-York Press, as well as all the other people who supported individual students.
FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – was founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989 in an effort to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. For more information, visit www.usfirst.org.