It is a great time to be a part of Fairport Robotics.
The high school team is coming off of its most successful year ever including a trip to the world competition. Robotics opportunities are also available for students in elementary and middle school. And it’s not just robots the extracurricular builds, according to Marie Kraus, FIRST Robotics Competition Team 578 – Red Raider Robotics advisor.
“It’s about developing leaders, individuals and the community through community service and demonstrating the importance of making connections,” said Kraus, a technology education teacher at Minerva DeLand and Fairport High School.
“It is about making a whole person through STEM,” added Kraus, referencing the acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Fairport Robotics includes FRC Team 578 at the high school and six FIRST LEGO League (FLL) teams, four at the middle-school level and two at the elementary level.
FRC Team 578 is currently in the midst of a community service project. The students are collecting new or gently used children’s books for distribution to local pediatrics offices. Collection boxes are at each of the main offices through Friday, Oct. 26. Over the past four years, FRC Team 578 has collected and donated over 8,100 books.
In addition to character-building projects, high school class lessons contributes to the group’s success. Team members need to know how to communicate well, build structures, understand the science behind the machines, problem solve and utilize complex mathematical equations.
“Being a part of the electronics team, you need to know Ohm’s law so the electronics run as smoothly as possible and that there aren’t any issues with short circuits or small fires,” said Jake Cicero, a FHS senior and the FRC Team 578 communication specialist and structures lead.
“We really have to focus on good communication, both verbal and non-verbal,” added Cicero. “I have to be able to look across the room and know that my help is needed.”
Cicero has been on the robotics team for four years and found it difficult to pinpoint his favorite part being a FRC Team 578 team member.
“It’s tough. There is so much I love about robotics,” said Cicero. “If I had to pick, I would say the gracious professionalism all of the participants abide by. I also really like to build stuff.”
Competition season isn’t underway yet, so the veterans are training new team members, improving on side projects and honing their skills. The team meets Thursdays at Martha Brown Middle School.
“I look forward to Thursdays,” said Cicero. “It is my favorite day of the week.”
The 2018-19 theme for both FRC and FLL is space. FRC teams will learn details of the Destination: Deep Space competition next month. FLL teams are both under the title Into Orbit and middle school teams will solve real-world problems that astronauts face.
“Robotics is the lifeblood of what STEM is,” said Kraus. “They are presented with a problem and have to work through the STEM cycle to solve it.”
For more information about Fairport Robotics, click here to visit their website.
