FCHS Robotics

Congratulations to the Fluvanna County Robotics Team on their success at the 2008 Maryland State Championship. Fluvanna competed with 31 teams at the F.I.R.S.T. Tech Challenge and finished the competition with a record of 4 wins and 1 loss. This record along with the points they earned gave Fluvanna Robotics a 6th place seeding among the 31 teams. Great job ladies and gentlemen!

 

QUAD QUANDARY
By:  Coach McCauley

On Saturday, December 1, 2007, the newly established Fluvanna County High School Robotics Team made their first foray into competitive waters.  University Hall was the host facility for the 2007 Virginia FIRST - For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology - Tech Challenge Championship Tournament known as “Quad Quandary”.  Forty-six high school robotics teams from across Virginia participated in the event, battling for a spot in the upcoming world championship tournament in Atlanta.


Within the confines of a 12-foot by 12-foot field, the robots, operating in alliances of two, moved around collecting 3-inch rings and putting them on posts, platforms and boxes. Point values varied based on which goals the rings were placed on. Teams also received bonus points for manipulating the moveable goals into their part of the field.  Each period lasted two minutes and 20 seconds. During the first 20 seconds, the robots carried out pre-programmed activities. Team members then guided the robots with controllers over the final two minutes.


The FCHS team that ventured into U-Hall on Saturday consisted of Janice Blanchard (12th), Jerrica Frazier (12th), Lauren Shaver (12th), Robert Thompson (12th), Hugh Blanchetti (11th), Jordan Hessler (11th), Ian Kurre (11th), Katelin Perkins (11th), Greg Self (11th), and Charles “Chaz” Patrick (10th) along with Joe Mayes, Corey Banton, Darren McCauley, and Patti Mason.  This 10-student / 4-coach team endured a 13-hour day of competition and troubleshooting to get their robot, BUDDHA, to do what the team members wanted it to do.  BUDDHA, which stands for Building Uniquely Designed Devices for Human Advancement, participated in five competitive matches winning four times!  This overall record of 4-1 along with points earned from each match garnered a fifth place finish out of the 46 teams that participated.  The FCHS Robotics Team is in their first year so this fifth place finish was a major accomplishment!  In addition, the team won the Problem Solvers Award for their ability to overcome adverse situations during the course of building their robot and Joe Mayes won the Coach’s Award for his tireless efforts.


When the competition was over, there were 14 weary FCHS competitors heading out of U-Hall.  But through the fatigue, the Robotics Team members were talking about how much fun they had and planning for the team’s future.  The team’s motto is “We don’t just build robots…We build engineers”.  This team builds robots and surely will build some engineers, but this group also built friendships, camaraderie, teamwork, and a vision for their future.


THE FCHS ROBOTIS TEAM WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS (TENASKA; DEBRA Y. KURRE, CPA, PC; HILL GROVE EQUIPMENT), AS WELL AS ALL OF THE PARENTS WHO SUPPORTED US IN THIS COMPETITION, OUR FELLOW STUDENTS WHO SHOWED UP TO CHEER US ON, AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT WE RECEIVED!