Park City High School Robotics Club programs students for success
Volunteers needed to help with local qualifier event on Feb. 24
David Jackson/Park Record
Electric wheels whirred around a makeshift workshop outside of Treasure Mountain Junior High as students adjusted the designs, systems and control of their robots, only breaking from their work when a slight smoky smell filled the air.
The teenagers looked around for the culprit. It turned out to be an overheated bot in need of a wiring repair, a simple enough fix for members of the Park City High School Robotics Club.
The students were preparing for their first robotics competition of the season over the weekend at Hurricane High School, where all five teams finished in the top eight in the First Tech Challenge qualifier. The event was a nice warmup for the robotics club, which will host another qualifier on its home turf later this month.
The challenge changes every year, but the goal of encouraging kids to develop science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills as well as learn the importance of innovation and teamwork remains the same. The 2023-24 season is also committed to reworking elements of art, such as design and creativity, into the competition.
Teams must pass an inspection before their qualification match can begin. Then they compete in head-to-head challenges. There’s a 30-second autonomous period when teams are not allowed to control their robots. Then the driver takes control and attempts to score.
Points can be earned by completing certain tasks such as placing pixels on a backboard, recognizing points on the mat or for how well an alliance worked together.
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Park City High School Robotics Club members Santiago Fernandez and Austin Glidden work on their robot before a competition in Hurricane last week.
David Jackson/Park Record
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Park City High School student Sebastian Toth places the robot for his team, Robominers, into the field for a test run.
David Jackson/Park Record
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Park City High School Robotics Club member Corey Welm adjusts wiring on his team’s robot.
David Jackson/Park Record
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Park City High School student Elizabeth “Izzy” Vogel tests the controls of her robot. Vogel is a member of Minerva, an all-girls rookie team.
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Park City High School students Hale Nickell, Tavian Robertson and Jaron Ginn are members of the Robominers team.
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Park City High School Robotics Club member Sebastian “Bash” Toth communicates with the drivers on the field to avoid a collision, which can cause a team to receive a penalty.
David Jackson/Park Record
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Park City High School Robotics Club members Tanner Pidwell and Chris Drury work on the bot for their team, Nuclear Minds.
David Jackson/Park Record
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Park City High School student Austin Glidden adjusts wheels for his team’s robot.
David Jackson/Park Record
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The Park City High School Robotics Club has around five teams made up of 30 students. Top row, from left: Jaron Ginn, Sebastian Toth, Tavian Robertson, Hale Nickell, Weijia Li, Santiago Fernandez, Isabella Andrews, Dante Labelle, Chris Drury, Luke Stocker, Tanner Pidwell. Middle row from left: team mentor Jaden Robertson and coach Janlynn Robertson. Front, from left: Alexander Kent, Kian Hagerman, Jackie Kent, Austin Glidden, Elizabeth Vogel, Corey Welm, and Gavin Strazdins.
David Jackson/Park Record
Around 30 students from the high school and junior high make up the robotics club, which formed in 2011. A few of the teams have existed for several years, but there are also a few rookies joining the ranks.
Isabelle Andrews and Izzy Vogel are two members of the small all-girls team of Minerva, inspired by the Roman goddess of wisdom and victory. Vogel’s twin sister is the third member. A fourth girl had to drop out, which set the team back slightly as they worked to rebuild their robot.
The season starts in September with coding. Teams use a video game controller to drive their robot, and they can program the controls for turning and speed. Then they work on the design and order custom parts. Most students agreed that learning computer-aided design skills has been the most beneficial.
Minerva decided to go for a simple approach for their first season. Their push bot is focused on easy ways to score points, such as moving game pieces around, rather than relying on more complicated methods such as lifting.
“It’s still not perfect, but it’s pretty good for our first time,” Andrews beamed.
Members of the robotics club said strategy and problem solving are important components of the competition. However, they affirmed the events are actually quite social.
There are around three bots on a field at the time, which means communication is key. Penalties can be issued if teams run into each other or violate other competition rules.
Sophomores Luke Stocker and Chris Drury of Nuclear Minds agreed. Talking to each other leads to new ideas and creative solutions, they said.
“It’s not just for nerds,” Drury said with a laugh. “You’re learning and you’re building. It’s fun.”
The boys’ older brothers formed the team a few years earlier, which inspired them to join. Their robot is based on an old design. It uses a bucket intake system to collect the game pieces while a compact arm gives the bot reach. The team competed in the final event on Feb. 10 alongside their classmates in Robominers.
Team 8280 Calamity also opted for a simple design. Junior Gavin Strazdins said this ensures reliability while giving the team more time to practice together.
“We’re here every day working on it,” Strazdins said. He joked the five-month season still isn’t enough time to perfect the bot, which requires regular tweaks.
The community can witness the action in person at the Park City High School Robotics Qualifier scheduled on Feb. 24. Volunteers are still needed. Contact 5667.robominers.robotics@gmail.com for more information.
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