Robo Raiders Success

in 2016-17 School Year/STEM
Robo Raiders Team 4946 waits in the bleachers for the Opening Ceremony to kick off the FTC Robotics Tournament. Pictured, left to right: Katerina Wood, Sophia Heinz, Frances Kaplan, Alexandra Reilly, Stephen Looke, Kieran Edraney, and Eric Jacobsen (Team Captain).

On Saturday, February 11, after working independently together since September toward building and programming a working robot, the U-32 Robotics Team, Robo Raiders #4946, competed in the all-day Vermont Regional FTC (FIRST Tech Challenge) robotics competition, organized by UVM and held this year up at Essex High School. Paired up in alliance with a different team each bout, the Robo Raiders competed in five matches opposite two other alliance teams. They demonstrated cooperation, innovation, problem-solving, a sense of humor, grace under pressure, and “gracious professionalism,” a key tenet of the FIRST Robotics program. Special guest Governor Phil Scott spoke during the Opening Ceremony. In his remarks he mentioned that he once student-taught at U-32, and afterward he made his way over to “the pit” to meet the U-32 team and check out their robot. The Robo Raiders placed 13th out of 32 teams participating from across New England.