Baker High School to host VEX Robotics Competition on Saturday
More than 50 members of the Baldwinsville robotics club will compete on Saturday as C.W. Baker High School hosts its 6th annual VEX Robotics Competition.
Evan Herrington, a junior, has been working on his team’s robot since last summer.
VEX releases a different competition and course every year. This year it’s “tower takeover,” Herrington said.
Students use the course design and the task given – this year it’s moving cubes -- and they work with a team to build and code a robot to complete the challenge.
“There’s no pushing or trying to destroy robots, so a lot of people get mixed up between this and battle bots,” Herrington said. “Two robots are on the field at one time. There’s an autonomous period at the beginning and a driver-controlled period at the end.”
Forty teams of students from 13 Central New York schools will be battling at the all-day tournament on Saturday.
Participants will be vying for the opportunity to compete at the state competition on February 29 at the Oncenter in Syracuse. This competition will qualify four teams to be entered into the state competition.
Seniors Breanna Murdock, Elyssa Adams and Allison Hunt have already qualified for the state competition with their clean, sleek design that features two rubber ducks. Their team also includes Brycen Murdock and Josephina Libbon.
Breanna is the builder and in charge of the team’s notebook. A notebook is required to keep track of all of the information about the robot. Elyssa is in charge of the team’s coding, which is particularly important during the part of the competition where the robot must navigate the course in autonomous mode. Allison is the team’s scout.
“Basically, I look at our strengths and weaknesses, watch other teams play and see what their strategies are,” she said. “And I’ll try to find our best matches.”
with their robot and hold their team's trophies.
The design, building and coding of these robots takes months and students continue to make changes and upgrades right up to the day of the competition. The competitions involve teamwork and strategy.
For many members of the Baldwinsville robotics club, the competitions are a time to make new friends and have fun with their teammates.
But there is pressure during competitions, according to Colin Demarest, a member of the Durgee team.
“There is a tad bit of stress from hoping your robot works and hoping it doesn’t break, but it’s also pretty fun to watch and actually see what you’ve built working,” Colin said.
Many members of the robotics team are interested in careers in engineering and science.
“I always wanted to know how things work,” said Ben DeStephano, a member of the Durgee team.
For others, the robotics team is just a great fit.
Liam McCrea, an eighth grader, said robotics club gives him an opportunity to be himself with peers who share a common interest.
“I have a really hard time connecting with kids my own age,” Liam said. “I joined this club and I saw that everyone here is like me. I really like this club because I feel like I belong somewhere for once.”
The robotics competition highlights knowledge and problem solving skills that students have acquired through their science, technology engineering and math courses (STEM). In preparation for the competition, students must also use their communication and collaboration skills, as well as their creativity – all important skills in today’s workforce and global economy.
The tournament will start at 9 a.m. with the qualification round. The elimination round will start at about 2 p.m.
The event is run by all volunteers from the Baldwinsville Central School District and the CNY community. Baldwinsville will have nine teams from the robotics club entered in the competition. The club advisors are Rebecca Fletcher, Jeff Abbott and Matt Hudson.
Baldwinsville teams:
7323A Apollo MMXIX
Even Harrington
Tanner Lotito
Jordan Martin
Daniel Nadelen
Andrew Klien
Ross Hudson
Cesar Perez-Marino
Ryan Coleman
Liam Byrne
Evan Pavetto-Stewart
7323B Robabes
Calista Winders
Julia Grovine
Claire Walker
Kaitlyn Coomes
Taylor Metcalf
7323C Contagion
Hannah Mcgivney
Izzie Thompson
Nick Schultz
JJ Wasiluk
Xander Kowalski
7323D Marmaduke
Katie Wilburn
Anna Johnson
Kyle Goodale
Olivia DeFazio
7323E Minotaur
William Castellino
Cam Conger
Caley Gee
Erin Gee
Connor Hays
Olivia Popielarski
Olivia Wafer
Paige Bohman
Connor Tutor
7323F Twigs
Andrew Secor
Finnian Saarie
7323G Wooly Mammouth
Ryan Gulic
Aidan O’Donnell
Caleb Eide
Luke Baker
7323H The Team
Zach Bramble
Nick Chemotti
Colin Demarest
Ben Destephano
Angelina Gadomski
Nick Julian
Liam McCrea
Grace Ehlinger
7323X pi
Brea Murdock
Bryce Murdock
Ally Hunt
Josie Libbon
Elyssa Adams
