ADDISON, Ala. – The Meek High School Robotics Team, newly named ROBOTIGERS, is the only FIRST Robotics program throughout Walker, Winston and Cullman Counties. FIRST is a global robotics community advancing STEM education for youth participants. High school students are challenged to build industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game in alliance with other teams.
The Meek team is encouraging students and mentors to join at any time during the season, so they will have a better understanding of the program for next year. As a rookie team, mentor Joni Owens said, “ROBOTIGERS needs all kinds of help and support. We need tools, mentoring and funding.” To make a tax-deductible donation contact Owens at 770-500-7733. The team also welcomes all local high schools to contact them for assistance with getting their owns robotics teams started.
With a current team of seven members and five mentors, and though they started five weeks later than most teams, they have progressed quickly in their short build season. The students currently have their robot rolling on four wheels, controlled by a joystick controller. They still need to attach an arm mechanism used to pick up objects in the three weeks they have left before the Rocket City Regional Competition April 6-9 at the Von Braun Center.
The program has teams in 110 countries around the world. The Huntsville regional competition will have 46 teams from the Eastern half of the U.S. but will include teams from other countries including Mexico and Brazil. Mentor Rick Schwartz said, “We are hardly going to win against these experienced teams, but there are only six rookie teams like us, and whatever rookie team performs the best gets to go to the world finals.” Rookie teams are also awarded bonus points in recognition of the difficulties faced as a new team. The Meek team would love to grow and include as many members as possible for this opportunity.
The FIRST robotics competitions are built on cooperation. The teams form alliances and work to obtain points by throwing oversized tennis balls called “cargo” over a goal post. Teams must have a drive team of four-six members with three students at most able to steer the robot, a technician to troubleshoot technical issues, a human player to manage the cargo and a coach.
Students are rewarded by team achievements – in robot design and programming, demonstrating community outreach, Gracious Professionalism and the ability to overcome obstacles.
“FIRST Robotics provides incredible opportunities for the future of our youth and future leaders. Our students deserve this incredible lifelong skill building program that opens incredible opportunities for the future for all team members,” said Meek High School Principal Allan Henderson.
There are several scholarship opportunities offered to college students who have participated in a FIRST Robotics team while in high school. A full list of scholarship providers can be found at https://www.firstinspires.org/scholarships.
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