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Westwood Robotics, FRC team 1757, finished up the best competitive season in its 10 year history this weekend. They competed at the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) District Championship held at UNH Durham. The team earned a place in the championships by placing 9th out of 40 teams and captaining an alliance of three robot teams to make it to the semi-finals in the elimination rounds in Bridgewater High School. Later in March, Team 1757 placed 7th out of 40 teams at Bryant University and also captained an alliance that made it to the semi-finals.
Westwood Robotics has its best season ever, competing at FIRST New England Regional Championships April 5-8. Clockwise starting top left: Steven Harrington (Mentor, team alum), Dwight Meglan (mentor), Ryan Marten (senior, software lead), Chris Aloisio (mentor, team alum), Jason Oberstein (senior, hardware team), Jack Tseng (mentor), Larry Tseng (sophomore, software team), Andrew Cabey (senior, software lead), Lauren Nelson (sophomore, hardware team), Jamie Vaccaro (senior, team captain), Nathan Keene (Faculty Advisor, Westwood High School), and, of course, the robot.
The team was delighted when it was invited to the FRC Regionals on the Monday before the event. Students and mentors scrambled to re-arrange home and work schedules, add functionality to the robot, and raise funding to get the team to UNH. Two days later, they were driving up for the competition. Dr. Antonucci (Superintendent of Westwood Public Schools) and Mr. Bevan (Principal of Westwood High School) gave critical support enabling the team to compete at UNH.
While competing at UNH, the WHS robotics team was invited to participate in the 2017 FIRST Championship in St. Louis, MO on April 26-28. The short deadline, complex logistics and fundraising proved too much of a challenge - the team declined, and will plan for a longer season next year.
“In the most successful FRC teams, mentors are important to every aspect of team operations, and we are moving in this direction as a team. This year’s success shows the team’s potential, a first step in a direction we hope to continue in future years.” said Jamie Vaccaro, team captain.
FRC combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. With strict rules, limited resources and an intense six-week time limit, each team is challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills and build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors. This year, the challenge is “Steamworks,” an industrial airship-themed game played by two alliances of three robots each.
An FRC team is actually a small business that needs students with many types of talents, not just STEM. Students will find their skills in art, communications, writing and business to be crucial to the operations, fundraising, outreach and spirit of the Westwood Robotics team. Students who want to build their programming and robotics skills can attend the STEAM classes offered by US STEAM Academy www.ussteam.org at Westwood High School or join one of Westwood’s FIRST Lego League teams.
Westwood Robotics was started in September 2006 by Faculty Advisor Mark Holthouse. Robotics team alumni often come back as mentors.
Westwood Robotics’ students and mentors, emboldened by this season’s success with a tight team and a small budget, are reaching out to the WHS student body and Westwood community to build a fuller team next season. They are asking students and volunteers to come to community events and find out how they might contribute to introducing students to this exciting life experience.
