Robotics teams at Lapeer West, Lapeer East wrap up successful seasons

The robotics teams at Lapeer West and Lapeer East high schools are looking to the future after lessons learned during productive seasons and competitions this year.

East Robotics had a positive season and put together powerful sponsorship support with CCS Robotics, Cypress Securities and PNC Bank (formally National City Bank). Many other community businesses also provided financial support to the team through this season.

The team competed at Kettering University and while it did not finish high enough to qualify for the State Championship this year, the team is pleased with its progress and looks forward to the State Championship next year, said Lapeer East teacher and Robotics Team Mentor George Mavis. Student involvement has grown and student interest in the team is rising.

The team also has developed alliances with other robotics teams across the state, which is helping to advance East’s program and to achieve its goals for student learning in the First Robotics Competitions and Programs.

The team, which makes presentations about its robot to community groups throughout the year, finished 109th of all the teams in Michigan.

The Lapeer West Chrome Panthers Robotics team finished 91st of the 136 teams in Michigan despite several obstacles this season, said Cory Gutenschwager, Instructor of Industrial Technology & Head Robotics Mentor at Lapeer West.

This year’s team was comprised of Gutenschwager and 18 West students. The team completed its build without any help from outside mentors or parents. The team also experienced a huge material delay for three of the six-week build period, when it tried to order the Mecanum wheels – which move in any direction -- on which its design was based. The students were adamant they would wait for them to become available.

The first competition in week one offered a lot of observation of other teams’ machines, prompting West to realize it needed to adapt its machine and strategy to be competitive at its next competition at Troy Athens High School.

During that competition, the team was chosen during alliance selection to play in the final rounds for the first time and proved it was a versatile asset to any alliance -- a team of three robots -- whether it needed a good defender or a machine to complete a goal.

One of West’s toughest challenges was to program a 15-second autonomous mode to stop an opponent, who turned out to be the event winner, in match 80. Although West didn’t win that match, the team achieved its goal and ruined its opponent’s strategy with the help of an alliance partner. During the selection process, West was asked to join the Troy Athens Hammerheads and The Mech Warriors from Brother Rice. With that alliance, West passed through the quarter finals into the semi finals before suffering a 10-7 loss against another.

The Troy event has some of the toughest competition possible when it comes to robotics – one of them will be the national winner after the Atlanta, GA event.

To view all the State of Michigan team ranks:

http://www.firstinmichigan.org/staticpages/index.php?page=2010_Results_Overall

To learn more about the West Chrome Panthers Team or to watch one of its matches go to:

www.chromepanthers.com

High School Robotics teams compete at Kettering, Lapeer East moves on to Ann Arbor

In an atmosphere not unlike a major high school sporting contest, the Lapeer East High School Robotics teams competed at the FIRST Robotics competition at Kettering University this past weekend.

The 22-member Lapeer East Robotics team, led by teacher and advisor George Mavis, placed 14th out of 40 teams after the two-day event. The East team will now take its robot to Ann Arbor this weekend for another meet.

Sponsored by CCS Robotics on Imlay City Road and PNC Bank, the East robot played soccer, scoring points by robotically kicking a ball into a goal and scored bonus points by successfully hanging the robot from a metal stand, one of the few teams to do so.

“This is a great experience for our robotics club members,” said Principal Kelly Paige. “It is great to see 22 students who are ‘geeked’ about math and science and a bleacher full of supportive adults, friends and family watching as referees, a timer and the competition unfolds.”

The Lapeer West Robotics Team also passed inspection and participated in the Kettering competition.

Lapeer East Robotics Team receives new sponsor, heads to District competitions

Armed with a new sponsor, a new robot and a 22-student team the Lapeer East High School FIRST Robotics Team is set for its first regional competition at Kettering University in Flint on March 5 and 6.

The team showed off its new robot Tuesday night at CCS Robotics on Imlay City Road. On hand were continuing sponsor Tony Diodato, owner of CCS Robotics and new sponsor PNC Bank and representatives, Rick Chown, vice-president, Leanne Peterman, assistant vice-president, and Michelle Griffis, branch manager at the Lapeer Main branch, 948 South Main Street.

Mr. Chown presented a check for $3,000 to the team and the team’s advisor, Mr. George Mavis, industrial arts teacher at Lapeer East High School.

Students demonstrated the new robot which will compete with dozens of area robotics teams in a game of robot soccer. Each FIRST Robotics team receives an identical kit of electronic parts and a set of rules describing the game in January and then has six weeks to design and assemble the robot.

Students get technical advice and mentoring from Mr. Diodato and Mr. Mavis, but are responsible for building the robot.

“The students all have great ideas,” Mr. Diodato said.

In addition to fun, the six week build period has a serious side for Diodato who has hired three former Lapeer East graduates and former robotics team members for his business.

“It’s really like a six week job interview,” Mr. Diodato said. Other graduates have gone on to study engineering at Kettering University.

The competition events bring family, friends and many fans, said Mr. Mavis.

(Photo: Lapeer East Robotics Team. Rick Chown, vice-president of PNC Bank (in suit) presents a check for $3,000 to the team. Mr. George Mavis (far left teacher and advisor) and continuing sponsor Tony Diodato of CCS Robotics (far right) pose with the team)

“It’s a basketball game atmosphere,” said Mr. Mavis. “Bring you ear plugs.”
With a successful result at District competitions at Kettering or Ann Arbor on March 11, 12 and 13, the Lapeer East team will move on to State competition at Eastern Michigan University April 1, 2, 3. The national FIRST competition will be held in Atlanta April 15, 16 and 17 at the Georgia Dome.