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Virginia high school students – including several teams from Henrico – competed in the FIRSTDestination: Deep Space District Competition last month hosted by Deep Run High School.
Dominion Energy and FIRSTChesapeake, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology sponsored the competition. FIRST, an independent non-profit organization with a focus on STEM and leadership skills, and Dominion brought together 6,000 people from around the state to see whose robot was better suited for space.
“We like to say the robot is the vehicle to reinforcing those concepts," FIRST Chesapeake Executive Director Scott Boland said. "We are building tomorrow’s technology leaders.”
This was the first of six district events for which 130 teams qualify. The top 58 teams will go on to the FIRST Championship, which takes place at George Mason University April 10-13.
Although the competitions are taking place in Virginia, they are live- streamed across the world. The recent district event had 13,000 viewers, one of whom watched his team win during a visit to Turkey.
Alliances of 37 high school robotics teams were given six weeks to conceptualize and build a robot. The robots were then given three- minute matches to complete tasks such as carrying cargo, climbing pillars and securing hatches.
Teams earned points not only for engineering but also for aesthetics and team spirit. The goal is to encourage professionalism and co- operation, as opposed to simply competing.
“It’s a new take on the golden rule. We are treating each other with respect and not winning at any cost,” Boland said. “It’s about learning to work together for a common good.”
Team Blue Cheese from Deep Run High School won the District Chairman's Award, while Team Sparky 384 from Tucker High School was one of two event finalists and also won the Excellence in Engineering Award. The Talon 540 team from Godwin High School won the Industrial Design Award.
FIRST connects mentors with robotics teams to teach the students about ethics and character. Delando Morris, a student from the STAGS robotics team of Magna Vista High School in Ridgeway, Virginia said he believed his relation-building skills have grown during his first year.
“There are a lot of opportunities around. I feel that robotics will expose me to a lot of options. It teaches about connections.”
Morris has always had an interest in robots and took a Lego class in middle school. When his robotic class options grew slim, he joined his high school robotics team.
“We are really about our robots. A lot of people are willing to help us out because of what we’ve done and how we carry ourselves,” Morris said. “You won’t find a STAG being disrespectful.”
Winners of the FIRST Championship will compete in the FIRSTWorld Championship in Detroit, Michigan April 24-27. For details about Destination: Deep Space, visit firstinspires.org/robotics/frc/game-and-season.
