Schools

Chesterfield Team's Robot to Shoot Hoops in Competition

Parkway Central's students need donations as they break new ground.

A first-year robotics team of 25 Parkway Central High School students is set to compete in a regionwide FIRST Robotics Competition.

Team members may ultimately qualify for nearly $14.8 million in college scholarships through FIRST.

Known as is primarily seniors and two freshmen. The team has only one veteran of robotic competition. Many schools have developed robotics teams over the past decade, at least.

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("It's) the varsity sport for the mind. It’s as close to 'real-world engineering' as a student can get," according to the FIRST Robotics Competition website.

Every team faces the same challenge in a school year. This year it's creating a  robot that shoots balls through hoops—like basketball.

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"These robots can be several feet tall and are very complex," said team member Ross Edelstein. "We have motors, moving parts, gears, sprockets. The robot is all metal."

Edelstein, a freshman, said they meet in the industrial tech (shop) classroom. Anyone may join. He went on to describe the challenge for students to solve, with the robot.

"The goal is to pick up balls, fire them into one of four hoops," Edelstein said. The hoops are scored at one point, two points and three points.

Team members may operate the robot via autonomous programming, X-Box Kinect with computer, and joystick control.

Team members buy the parts and supplies online, using donations.

The teams have just one competition a year, the St. Louis Regional, at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis. When a team wins, it moves to nationwide competition for the championship at the Edward Jones Dome.

Three adult advisors and sponsors for the team include high school math teacher Tim Huether, English for Speakers of Other Languages teacher Sandy Patterson, and high school Assistant Principal Travis Fast.

"Occasionally, we have guest advisors who help us with whatever they specialize in," Edelstein said.

The team's deadline on putting the hoop-shooting robot into action is February 21. They need donations to buy materials to build the 'bots, students said. Please contact the school's assistant principal Travis Fast, to help. 

"(The robotics) competiton combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team brand, hone teamwork skills, and build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors," according to the FIRST Robotics Competition.


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