The Orcutt Academy Robotics Club has spent the last six weeks building a robot to enter into the prestigious F.I.R.S.T (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics competition. The “Spartatroniks” will be one of 2,000 teams in the contest.
On Feb. 18, the team showcased its robot in front of a very crowded gymnasium full of students, parents, and sponsors.
The Spartatroniks team is made up of 25 students, eight mentors, and one faculty advisor. The group has come a long way; 24 of these kids had no experience in robotics before joining. They were able to overcome their inexperience with hard work and team chemistry, putting in more than 150 hours of work during the six-week period.
“We are considering this a varsity team. Students will be earning a varsity letter for their participation in this team,” faculty advisor Ty Fredriks said. “We are not an athletic team, but we’re putting in just as much time: We’re going to competitions, we’re organized, we have different subgroups.”
Fredriks is a science teacher at Orcutt Academy and serves as a liaison between the team and the school. School sponsorship is essential, as 98 percent of the 2,000 teams in the robotics competition have such support.
“Some kids are on this team, they will never have the opportunity to do a true team sport like soccer or basketball,” Fredriks said. “That’s just not their forte. This gives those kids a chance to be a part of something.”
The team can be proud of what it’s accomplished thus far, but focus remains on the Los Angeles regional competition in Long Beach, set for March 24 through 26.
“The first day is practice. The second day is all competition and bracketing. Part of the third day is competition and bracketing, then there’s a playoff round and the awards ceremony,” Head Coach Scott McLean told the Sun. “We’re hoping to make it to nationals, the championship competition in St. Louis, Missouri.”
The robot rally had a certain buzz to it; the energy and excitement were palpable to everyone in the room. The robot was intriguing, but the real stars were the kids.
Coach McLean summed up the sentiment perfectly: “We build a robot, but it’s not about the robot. It’s about educating the kids, motivating them, and inspiring them to go on to higher education and to become great leaders for our society.”
School Scene is compiled by Sun staffers. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Feb 24 – Mar 3, 2011.
