Culver City High School FIRST Robotics Team 702 returned home from St. Louis as true champions. Eight team members, the coach and five mentors made the trip to battle robotics teams from across the country.
The non-profit FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Their FIRST Robotics Competition is dubbed a varsity Sport for the Mind™.
Competing in the Curie Division, the team — nicknamed the Bagel Bytes— finished 12th in a field of 100 robots from around the world, playing a game based on basketball called “Rebound Rumble.”
The team raised $12,000 in six week’s time to fund the trip, as team members, family and friends mobilized with bake sales and personal appeals to raise the needed funds.
As the team prepared for the championships they were awarded honors at two regional competitions. At the San Diego Regional, the robot won the judges Innovation In Control Award for its omni directional drive and multiple drive assist sensors. At the Los Angeles Regionals, the robot won the judges Creativity Award for the unique design of the dunking mechanism.
In San Diego, the team took fourth place among 56 participants. The Bagel Bytes moved up in Los Angeles and took third place among 66 participants.
“I get to help build robots and help students understand what it is like to be an engineer and discover how much they can do when they apply themselves to real-world problems,” said team mentor Ray Manning, a robotics team member while in high school and now a Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Engineer at Boeing Satellite Systems. “Team 702 is fantastic, full of students who are interested, excited, and willing to work hard to create something to be proud of.”
The competition operates under strict rules, limited resources and time limits. Teams are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, in addition to building and programming a robot to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors.
Professional mentors volunteer their time and talents to guide each team.
Combining the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology, it’s as close to “real world” engineering as a student can get.
For more information about Culver City High School FIRST Robotics Team 702 and to watch videos of the robot in action, visit www.planet702.org
