Cape Girardeau, Missouri – The Dexter High School Robotics Club competed with more than 1,000 students at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri on Saturday for the 6th Annual FIRST Technology Challenge Robotics Competition.
Teams were responsible for not only designing, but also they had to build and program their robots as well. Students were from grades 7 – 12.
Bearcat Team 7469 consisted of Kyle Jenkins, Brandon Parks, Kayla Pruitt, Caprese Bostic, Josh Grubbs, and Dylan Long. Their robot was programmed to drive straight off of the ramp during the autonomous portion and to lift balls and push the rolling goals during the driving portion. The robot was manned with a claw gripper and an arm that moved back and forth.
Bearcat Team 8024 consisted of Jake Hindman, Drew Thompson, Jon Rodgers, Shelby Smith, Jonni Hill, and Wesley Slaton. Their robot was programmed to drive straight off the ramp during autonomous. The robot was then further programmed to capture balls in a scoop, raise the scoop, and drop the balls into rolling goals. They could also move the rolling goals and release the balls.
The driving portion of the matches consisted of being able to use and program remote controls similar to a computer gaming controller.
Forty-two teams were registered at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau to compete and test their engineering skills. Four teams at a time entered a small arena.
The robots had 2 ½ minutes to knock loose a stick holding a container of plastic balls, pick the balls up and place them in tubes of different sizes accumulating points to win.
The first 30 seconds the students are not allowed to touch the controllers. The robots are programmed to drive themselves. Each team has an opportunity to compete in five matches.
The students have only had a little over three months to design, build, program, run through a few challenges, and fix any issues with the robots before the big competition.
Nine teams advanced to the Rolla Robotics Qualifier in March.
Though the teams did not place in the qualifiers the Dexter High School students gained valuable insight and experience and will be back again next year to compete. This is a relatively new competition for Dexter and only the second year for the newly formed Robotics Club.
Photo provided by Monta Pollock. Thank you Monta!
