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Successful Bonners Ferry High School FIRST
Robotics Team 2130 Alpha+ enters ninth year |
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January 31, 2015 |
by Ellie Rodgers
Students, mentors, parents and alumni from
Bonners Ferry High School FIRST Robotics Team
2130 Alpha+ met on January 3 for the 2015 FIRST
Robotics Competition Kickoff Broadcast.
This year’s game is “Recycle Rush,” in which the
goal is to build a robot that scores points by
stacking totes and recycling containers, and
disposing of litter (pool noodles).
The match starts with a fifteen-second
Autonomous Period where the robots are not
controlled
by drivers, but by computer-programmed
directions. In the next two minutes and fifteen
seconds, which is named the Teleop Period,
robots are operated by drivers. The full game
animation for Recycle Rush can be viewed at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAN1B7oKDXE.
Working within a specific time frame
Our team now has a strict six-week timeline to
strategize, design, prototype, build and program
our robot. We are only provided with a very
basic kit of parts, leaving room for our team to
design its own unique robot. At the end of six
weeks, our robot must be “bagged and tagged,”
and cannot be worked on until we arrive at the
competition.
This year we will be returning to the Western
Canada Regional in Calgary, Alberta from April
1-5.
We are currently in the strategy and design
phase of the six-week build season. Student team
members will be working side-by-side with our
talented and dedicated mentors as we create this
year’s robot.
For more information on our team’s progress,
please visit our Facebook page,
“FIRST Team 2130” and our website,
www.bfhsrobotics.com
Local Robotics has been successful
The Robotics program at Bonners Ferry High
School has been successful over the previous
eight years it has been available at the school.
Over the years, the program at BFHS has earned
the following awards and championships:
2007 -- BFHS FIRST Robotics
Team 2130 Alpha+ won the Rookie Inspiration
Award at the Pacific Northwest Regional in
Portland, OR.
2010 – Won the Autodesk Oregon
Regional in Portland and a berth at the 2010
First Championship in Atlanta, GA.
2012 – Received the Innovation
in Control Award and the Engineering Inspiration
Award at the Autodesk Oregon Regional in
Portland, earning a place at the 2012 First
Championship in St. Louis, MO.
2013 – Won the Engineering
Inspiration Award at the Spokane Regional,
earning another trip to the First Championship
in St. Louis.
2013 – Regional finalists at
Autodesk Oregon Regional in Portland. Lead
mentor Ed Katz won the Woodie Flowers Award,
which recognizes mentors who lead, inspire, and
empower using excellent communication skills.
Participation from the community
This year's Bonners Ferry High School FIRST
Robotics Team 2130 Alpha+ is made up of 25
students and 11 mentors. Our faculty advisor
this year is Bonners Ferry High School science
teacher David Nix. This year's Community Mentors
include Ed Katz, Jill Katz, John Kaessinger,
Adam Krezman, Larry Melior, Carrick Remaley, Pat
Rodgers, Shannon Rodgers, Albert Solt, Mike
Tymrak and Dennis Weed.
Junior High program
In adddition to the high school program, there
is also a Middle School version of Robotics.
FIRST Lego League (FLL) Robotics Team Omega
formed at Boundary County Middle School in
September 2014 with the help of retired high
school science teacher Ed Katz and sixth-grade
middle school teacher Jaak Sanders. There are 10
middle school students on the team. The middle
school students on Team Omega are mentored by
high school students from Team 2130.
We are extremely grateful for the support and
enthusiasm our local community has shown
toward our team. FIRST Robotics Team 2130 Alpha+
runs primarily on donations from
generous businesses, organizations and community
members. We would greatly appreciate
any potential support or sponsorship. Checks may
be made payable to Bonners Ferry High
School Robotics, and mailed to Bonners Ferry
High School, 6485 Tamarack Lane, Bonners
Ferry, ID 83805.
For further information on the Robotics
programs, please contact our Lead Mentor, Ed
Katz (edward.katz@mail.bcsd101.com) |
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