By Claire Peng
Community Contributor
Established in 2006, Westwood Robotics, known as "The Wolverines," comprises thirty high school students and four mentors. Recently, The Wolverines participated in two off-season competitions: the New England Robotics Derby and River Rage 26, achieving notable success in both events.
Both competitions are organized by FIRST, which stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology." FIRST is an international association dedicated to creating leaders through team-based robotics challenges. One such challenge is the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), where high school teams worldwide design, develop, and fabricate a robot in approximately eight weeks to accomplish a specific objective. Teams then compete at local, district, and world championship events. Although the New England Robotics Derby and River Rage 26 are not official FRC events, they serve as opportunities for teams to train and enhance their skills before the official FIRST Robotics Competition season begins.
On October 14th, The Wolverines emerged as finalists in the New England Robotics Derby at Tewksbury Memorial High School, overcoming 30 other teams. Despite ranking 17th during Qualifications, The Wolverines were the first overall pick for the Number 1 Seed Alliance, ultimately securing 2nd place after reaching the Playoff Finals.
Later, on October 28th, the team participated in River Rage 26 in Manchester, NH, marking their final competition with their current robot, Luxo. After rotating new team members as drivers during qualifications, The Wolverines ranked 19th. Selected by the Number 5 Seed Alliance, they reached the Semifinals before finishing in 4th place.
Buoyed by these achievements, The Wolverines eagerly anticipate their upcoming season starting in January. Their goals include further enhancing their designs and expanding outreach by providing more STEAM-based programs. The team currently mentors two FLL teams and plans to continue STEAM minicourses at the Westwood Public Library, along with their She Can STEM program at the Sheehan and Martha Jones elementary schools next year. The team is committed to community engagement, aiming to inspire youth and foster the next generation of leaders in science, technology, art, engineering, and mathematics.
The team is student-run, led by Technical Captain Luke Maxwell, Business Captain Sean Tao, Technical Vice Captain Landon Bayer, and Business Vice Captain Claire Peng. Adult mentors with industry experience include Dwight Meglan as the lead mentor, Steven Harrington as the business and mechanical mentor, and Chris Aloisio as the design and programming mentor.
