Teens tasked with designing, building and coding robots came together in a day of camaraderie and competition in Saanich recently to earn awards and for some, a ticket to provincials.
Earlier this year, the students started with a kit, then designed, built and programmed an industrial-sized robot to play a game, competing on a themed field. Teams also create an identity, raise funds and advance appreciation for science, technology and math in the community – aligning with the competition creator, international youth organization, FIRST (For Inspiration, Recognition of Science and Technology).
High school teams from Spectrum, St. Margaret’s, Esquimalt and Mt. Doug were among those who competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge qualifier on Jan. 25 under the theme Into the Deep.
The day kicked off with robot inspections and judging interviews followed by qualification matches.
The competition sees two teams face each other, each with an alliance team at their side also scoring in a red-versus-blue format. Robots can score by grabbing items and lacing them in specific baskets or rungs, manoeuvring up the rungs of a frame or parking in a specific spot both autonomously and with a person at the controls. Each game is two and a half minutes long.
Six teams advance to the B.C. Championships at St. Margaret’s School later this month. Those teams are: winners of the first place Inspire Award the Esquimalt Atom Smashers; Winning Alliance Captain the Teamsters third place Alliance Partner the Reynolds Raiders; Control Award first place winners Spectrum Thunderbots; Motivate Award first place winners T.U.R.B.O. St. Margaret’s and the Highest Ranked Team not already advancing, the Trailblazers.
Provincials will also be held at St. Margaret's School in Saanich on Feb. 22 and 23.
That event includes LEGO robot activities for younger children with some FIRST LEGO League teams, for students grades 4 through 8 demonstrating their robots.
Find the full awards list online at firstroboticsbc.org.
