DERT competes at FIRST

Kate Anderson and Melissa Chanto sat in the stands at Bradley University along with 12 other students from Metamora Township High School on Jan. 7 wondering what was coming.

They were there, along with their teacher, Joe Bachman, to watch the unveiling of this year’s FIRST Robotics competition.

As the three left the Peoria campus later that day they were still unsure what lies ahead, but they said they are very anxious to tackle whatever lies ahead in building a robot.

What is it?

FIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.

The program is the brainchild of inventor Dean Kamen.

Students build robots to do a task and compete with teams from all over the world.

But, the program is not just about competition. The underlying intent of the program is to engage students in math and science in hopes they will choose a career path leading into the technology fields.

Former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton were among those who addressed the students via video to launch the 21st FIRST Robotics Competition.

The 2012 competition is being called “Rebound Rumble.” The robotics game will see teams trying to score as many basketballs as possible during a two-minute and 15-second match.

Balls scored in higher hoops score teams more points. Team Alliances are awarded bonus points if they are balanced on bridges at the end of the match.

The students received parts, but no instructions. Working with adult mentors, students have six weeks to design, build, program, and test their robots to meet the season’s engineering challenge.

Teachers

Bachman said as a teacher in the Career and Technical Education department at Metamora Township High School, it has been quite exciting to see the FIRST Robotics program develop to the point where it can be started for the students in the area.  

“I teach Project Lead the Way classes here at the high school which, like FIRST Robotics, is a program that has gained incredible national momentum over the past decade from its focus upon developing student excitement and interest toward STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) fields,” he said.   

Meanwhile, the Dunlap Eagles Robotics Team, led by Gordon Mills, has been participating in FIRST for seven years.

“We originally got involved with FIRST as a way to encourage more STEM education in our schools,” Mills said. “We were also going to introduce new engineering courses from Project Lead the Way and felt that the two programs would fit well together.”

Mills said he hopes that students will see that STEM subjects can be fun and that the mentors can be used as positive role models in their lives.

“FIRST team ’DERT’ also encourages the students to get involved and give back to their community,” he said. “We and are always looking for ways to volunteer our time and effort. This past fall, we started what we call “COW” projects.  (“Changing Our World”). With these projects, we hope to apply what we have learned about engineering, to solve problems in our community.”

DERT plans to spend about $10,000 this year, $5,000 for FIRST registration and $5,000 for projects, robot and expenses.

While the team lost a corporate sponsor, NASA, jc penny, CAT and CGN and Associates have helped meet the sponsorship goals this year.

As for the Metamora Robots program, Mills said that DERT did not help introduce them to FIRST, but have been helping with any information they need, along with possibly sharing travel/hotel plans and doing things together at the Milwaukee regional.

However, Mills said they are helping a new team currently start in Bloomington.

“Officially though, we are mentoring the ‘Metal Cows,’ a new team out of Bloomington,” he said. “We are working closely with them, providing whatever information or help they need to make their first year a success. This all is a part of what FIRST calls gracious professionalism.  A concept that, in helping others be their best, we will become our best as well.”