The STEM Middle School Robotics Team recently competed in their first FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics meet where they faced 14 other schools after building their very own robot.
Before the meet, the team worked hard to build their robot, starting with figuring out how to make the robot move around the playfield. The students used a basic tank-type drive train to accomplish this. With help from the Victoria West FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team, the students learned how to cut metal and put the frame together, cut chains to attach the gears and motors for the wheels to be able to move, and used code to make the tank move using a game controller.
After almost six weeks of working on it after school, they got their robot moving and were able to start working on making the arm of the robot move up and down, and the gripper of the robot open and close. Once the gripper was able to pick up items and drop them, the students 3D printed pixels that were part of the game components. These helped them adjust the grip when opened and closed and allowed them to practice their teamwork by picking up the pixels around the game field and taking them to the designated drop-off area. After much time and dedication, their robot was ready to compete.
The competition proved to be more than an opportunity to flaunt their engineering skills; they were able to cultivate relationships and develop their confidence. They worked collaboratively with their team members as well as other teams in the competition, fostering a strong sense of community.
“There were times when a robot would stop working right in the middle of competition,” said Tammie Tipton, team sponsor and science teacher at STEM Middle School. “They had to learn how to work with each other and with other teams. One student [from another school] taught them how to code their robot autonomously, and once they learned that they were helping other teams code.”
Participating in the competition was a valuable learning experience for the students. The rigorous challenges they faced required them to use critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork skills that will undoubtedly prove invaluable in their future endeavors.
They also took home a trophy for the Motivate Award. To be eligible for this award, the team had to submit an Engineering Portfolio that included a team organization plan that described their future goals and the steps they will take to reach those goals, team identity, fund-raising goals, sustainability goals, timelines, outreach to non-technical groups, finances, and community service goals. The team also had to be an ambassador for FIRST programs and be able to explain the individual contributions of each Team member and how these contributions apply to the overall success of the team. Because they were able to meet the qualifications, and because they voiced their desire to encourage and mentor other schools in the district and students outside of the district interested in creating teams, they received this award.
The outgoing 8th-grade team members, who are excited to continue their passion for robotics at the high school level, have selected Wyatt Bearden, a 6th-grade student, as next year’s team captain.
Bearden has ambitious plans for the team, aiming to create a well-rounded squad with every member having the ability to step in and take over the role of another teammate if required, ensuring that the team can function smoothly and efficiently under all circumstances. “If someone is sick, we want everyone to have all of the skills to be able to take over for that person,” said Bearden. “If everyone can do every job, everybody can fill in for everybody.”
The team also aspires to showcase their robotics skills to and for their community. “They want to be known for robotics and show that Victoria can be a hub for innovation,” said Tipton. “They want to dominate.” Recognizing the importance of sportsmanship, 6th-grade team member Dakota Hubert added, “But we want to dominate in the most graciously professional way!”
The students look forward to the future and honing their skills. “Now that we have a much better understanding of how everything works, I think we’re going to be a really big team, especially after a few years,” said Bearden. “I’m just excited to see how far this team can go.”