Redwood hopes to bring robotics championship to Visalia, team needs money for competition
Imagine a life-size robot moving across a large field to complete a challenge.
Sounds like something from a movie or a dream. However, that’s the goal when Redwood High School’s Robotics team competes in March.
Redwood High School senior, Riley Amos, is seeing his dream of creating a robotics team come to fruition.
“My first experience with robotics was in middle school, we played in a game called FTC which is the middle school equivalent to FRC. I was surrounded by other students who enjoyed learning and poured their hearts and souls into their work on the team," the teenager said. "Through them, I found a new interest in subjects like math and engineering. The skills I learned from them made me a stronger person.”
FIRST Robotics Competition, FRC, is an international high school robotics competition. Each year, teams of high school students, coaches and mentors work during a six-week period to build robots capable of completing challenges.
The team will compete in the Central Valley Regionals at the Fresno Fairgrounds.
Riley and Redwood’s FRC team hopes to bring more STEM education opportunities to Visalia high school students. Through competing in FRC, students will be able to gain experience in 3D modeling, programming, and welding. They will improve their networking, leadership, and business skills. Students will learn to be organized and develop strong problem solving abilities.
It will also expand the scholarship opportunities for participants, the teacher said.
It isn't cheap
The intense “build season” is from January through March.
They received a $6,000 NASA grant to pay the entry fee and help buy some of the equipment needed. Robots can weigh up to 125 pounds and have hundred of moving parts.
However, the Redwood FRC team needs to raise another $20,000 in the next two months.
“We are going to need some very generous donors to achieve this,” teacher and coach Russ Brown said.
Brown, a veteran in the classroom for nearly 30 years, credits Redwood interim Principal Brandon Gridiron, University Prep High School math teacher Josh Curtiss, and volunteer Khaled Alkotob for supporting, advising and encouraging the team. The mentors have helped students navigate the early days of learning what it takes to develop a strong high school robotics team that will last well beyond its infancy.
While some have spent extra time supporting the team, others have helped ensure students have resources.
“Our metal shop teacher, Bob Rooney, and our woodshop teacher, Jeffrey Eastman, have lent their shops for us to meet," Brown said. "It really does take a village for this endeavor.”
How to help the team:
For more information on how you can help sponsor this committed team of builders, scientists and visionaries, please contact Coach Russ Brown at: rbrown@vusd.org or send checks to:
Redwood High School Robotics Club c/o Russ Brown
1001 W Main Street
Visalia, CA 93291
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Redwood hopes to bring robotics championship to Visalia
