Robotics team moves steadily toward finals

FALLS VILLAGE — Cindy Fuller is the main office secretary at Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS). She is also one of three volunteer mentors to members of the school’s FIRST robotics team. It was in January 2004, she recalled, that she first got involved with the team. Science teacher David Lindsay (who has since retired) invited Fuller to see the robot that the team had built for that season of competition.“He showed me the team’s 2004 robot and the next thing I knew I was on a bus going to New Hampshire to attend a competition. And that is how it all began.”The other two mentors of the team might seem more “the type” to be involved in an activity that is heavily engineering-oriented. Head mentor Andy Brockway is an engineer with Becton Dickinson in North Canaan. Dave Van Deusen is the proprietor of an automobile restoration business.But one thing the robotics competitions stress is that women can succeed as well as men in engineering, math and science. Fuller’s mentoring covers the electrical workings of the robot.“I have always been interested in electrical,” she said. “That would have been my second choice to study in school.” After studying graphic communications she had an 18-year career in printing. When she retired, she took a substitute teaching position at Housatonic, in 2003, and, “I fell in love with the school.” When the main office secretary’s position became available, Fuller applied and was selected.At that time, the high school robotics team was already growing and gaining in popularity among the students. They named their team the Who’sCTeks (pronounced housy-techs). The team competes annually in the international FIRST robotics contests.The rules of the robotFIRST stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology and was founded in 1989 by businessman/inventor Dean Kamen (he created the Segway people transporter) and physicist Woodie Flowers. Flowers is professor emeritus of mechanical engineering at MIT.On the first Saturday of January each year, the FIRST organization releases the rules for that year’s game. The robot building season begins then and the team has six weeks to learn the new game and design and build a robot that can compete by, for example, dunking baskets, making turns, going up and down ramps. During the building period, the the team meets on weekdays from 5 to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 pm.During the rest of the school year, the team members (this year, there are 12 students) meet every Thursday evening. According to Fuller, FIRST is unique among robotics organizations because it stresses teaching young people math and science, not just playing with robots. She said, “They also stress team work and helping each other to achieve goals.” The FIRST organization also runs Lego and junior robot competitions for younger students. FIRST also awards $15,000,000 in scholarships annually. “Housatonic had a student who graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute last year who received a full $140,000 FIRST scholarship,” Fuller said.Last month, the Who’sCTeks won a scrimmage at Suffield with their alliance partners. At FIRST robotic competitions, there are always three teams in an alliance. Part of what the program is trying to teach is cooperation. The robots are expected to do a certain number of tasks. Every team’s robot can do some but not all the tasks. When teams get to their scrimmages and competitions, part of what they have to do is quickly find other teams whose robots complement their own robot’s skills, so they can form an alliance.From March 1 to 3, the FIRST regional competition was held in Manchester, N.H., with 50 teams taking part. The Housatonic team was the number three seed and was the only team to win all 10 of its qualification matches. Fuller said there are now more than 4,000 teams taking part in FIRST competitions. The Housatonic team number is 716, reflecting their early participation in the sport.Raising funds to go to Mo.The FIRST Robotics championship this year will be held in St. Louis, Mo., from April 25 to 28. The team and its mentors are working hard to raise the money needed to participate. In addition to the $5,000 entry fee, there is the cost of transporting the robot to and from St. Louis, as well as travel costs for team members. Fuller said it will take at least $15,000 to finance the team’s participation in the championship matches.Anyone wishing to make a donation can send it to HVRHS Robotics, Attention Cindy Fuller, Housatonic Regional Valley High School, 246 Warren Turnpike Road, Falls Village, CT 06031-1600.

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