The robotics club allows students to pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Robotics will enable students to have fun and learn about many different career paths.
Josh Colcord, senior, said, “I joined robotics because I’ve always liked designing and making things, and robotics seemed like a really cool way to continue that.”
Students are able to design, build, test, and compete with robots that they have built.
Colcord said, “My favorite part about robotics is probably the feeling after you finally get something working, especially knowing that you helped contribute something great to the team.”
Siddharth Kosaraju, junior, said, “I like robotics because I am able to work with my friends to make cool things.”
Robotics is fun for its members, encouraging them to work hard for results and helping to build friendships.
Kosaraju said, “[In robotics,] I have learned engineering concepts like the design process and how to code better.”
Jackson Crawford, freshman, said, “I’ve learned teamwork and team skills, as well as how to build different portions of a robot and how to revise and make them better.” Robotics not only provides students with the ability to create their own ideas and bring them to life but also teaches them life skills such as teamwork and communication skills.
Students in robotics can also learn leadership skills. Colcord is the co-captain of one of Homestead’s six robotics teams, and he said, “I rose to the position of co-captain mostly by showing up the most and being on the team the longest.”
Not everyone does the same thing on a robotics team; most students have different roles. Some roles include working with the robot, coding, and focusing on outreach. Colcord said, “On the team, I play somewhat of a managing role, making sure everyone knows what to do and gets help if they need it.”
Kosaraju said, “I program the mechanisms of the robot, including the wheels and lift, and program it to move both autonomously and with driver controls and sensors.”
The first robotics competition of the year is on November 23, 2024. There are many different competitions throughout the year. Each team is only allowed to attend three of them.
Colcord’s team, Great Scott!, will be attending the first competition with hopes of advancing to the state competition. He says, “I think this season is going to go great! I’m really looking forward to seeing how the team develops and especially how our robot comes along.” Great Scott! is also attending a competition on December 21.
Robotics competitions take place on a 12’ by 12’ foam playing field. The field has a polycarbonate perimeter and structures in the middle. Each year, the game teams build their robots for changes.
Two years ago, for example, the goal was to put cones on tall poles, scoring teams points.
Last year, teams had to pick up small hexagons, called pixels, and place them on a slanted wall. Placing them in specific designs and heights gave teams extra points. In addition, robots could grab a bar, pull themselves off the ground, and shoot a paper airplane into a designated area in order to earn bonus points.
This year, robots must pick up blocks and either hang them on a bar or place them in a basket.
Every robotics match is two minutes and 30 seconds. The first 30 seconds of each match is the autonomous period. In this period, robots move around the field and complete tasks without driver input. The robots move solely based on pre-programmed movements.
After 30 seconds is up, the driver period begins. For the last two minutes, drivers control their robots to complete additional tasks. At the end of the match, the teams with the most points win.
