Robotics team concludes successful season – The Gazette

Cane Bay High Schools FIRST Robotics Team 3490 Viper Drive, the first in the schools history, has ended another productive season.

Following a regional competition in Myrtle Beach, the 40-member group contended at the Rocket City Regional Competition in Huntsville, Alabama on Mar. 22.

Team spokesperson Ogugua Nwaezeigwe said the group learned from past errors and made modifications to their robot, enabling them to place seventh out of about 50 teams. The team did not place high enough to qualify for the national championships, but Nwaezeigwe said Cane Bays engineering-group remained strong.

We had to really stick together when we lost, Nwaezeigwe said. That mentality made our robotics team a family and more tightly-knit than we were before.

Despite the setback, the group clinched an entrepreneurship award for their thorough business plan that outlines their funding resources and intentions to continue inspiring youth with STEM initiatives. And while they didnt qualify through the regional competition for a championship bid, patience on the FIRST championship waiting list and donations from generous sponsors afforded them a trip to the national competition in Houston.

There, they snagged $5,000 in a social media FedEx Innovation Challenge to cap off a successful season.

I accomplished my dream of holding a big check, Nwaezeigwe joked.

Perhaps one of the teams most notable achievements this season, though, was its very own spokeswoman capping the Deans List award at the earlier Palmetto Regional competition. The FIRST robotics founder, Dean Kamen, developed the award to celebrate students whose passion, leadership and dedication to FIRST proves exemplary.

Nwaezigwe was quite modest about the accomplishment.

[Deans List] students try to make a change in their communities, she said. Thats all I try to do nowadays.

She added that the group placed 46 out of about 60 teams in Houston in the midst of fierce competition on a rigorous robotics course.

FIRST is a nationwide initiative that challenges students to create a robot with a six-week time frame to accomplish a specific task. Students are also simultaneously raising funds for their organization, as well as obtaining teamwork and leadership skills.

Cane Bays robotics group is led by Nikki Stancampiano, who teaches introduction to engineering and design at the high school, and a host of volunteer mentors.

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Robotics team concludes successful season - The Gazette