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2013 Kickoff Summary

On Saturday, January Fifth, team 1418 attended the D.C. kickoff for the 2013 season. The event was held at Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., and lasted several hours. Team mentor Don Brobst spoke at the event, before the game for this year was announced. The video containing the information for this year’s game was presented, and after watching it the team collected its Kit of Parts and returned to GM. The members then took inventory of the Kit of Parts (a couple of parts were missing), read over the rules of the game, and began brainstorming ideas for the robot’s design.

The game this year is called Ultimate Ascent, and the description of it from the FIRST website is copied here:

 

“ULTIMATE ASCENTSM is played by two competing alliances on a flat, 27 x 54 foot field. Each Alliance consists of three robots, and they compete to score as many discs into their goals as they can during a two (2)-minute and fifteen (15)-second match.”

The game also involves the robots climbing two pyramids (one for each alliance), which are located towards the center of the playing field, and each pyramid has an extra goal located on top of it. For more detailed information, please see the online manual; http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/ .

Exxon Mobil gives to GMHS FIRST Robotics Team

The George Mason High School FIRST Robotics Team 1418, “Vae Victis,” received its first donation of the season, a grant of $2,000 from Exxon Mobil Corporation. ExxonMobil representatives Jerry French, territory manager, and Ashley A. Smith, public and government affairs advisor, presented the grant to the team and GMHS Principal Ty Byrd.

GMHS FIRST Robotics Team, “Vae Victis” and Principal Ty Byrd, receive a donation from Exxon Mobil Corporation for the 2013 season. ExxonMobil representatives pictured at center are Jerry French, Territory Manager, (holding letter), and Ashley A. Smith, Public and Government Affairs Advisor, (to his right). Also pictured are GMHS teacher John Ballou (kneeling front left), and volunteers Don Brobst (standing left) and Cricket Moore (standing center left). On the right. In the back row, is GMHS principal, Ty Byrd. At the center of the photo is the team’s 2012 robot. Photo Credit: FCCPS Communications/Marybeth Connelly

During the presentation French spoke about the unique opportunity that FIRST Robotics provides team members to work together on highly technical problems, using math and science in practical applications. Students demonstrated the robot they created last season which was programmed to accurately shoot basketballs and balance on a teeter-totter.

The 2013 FIRST Robotics Competition season will begin with the national announcement of this year’s robotics challenge on January 5, 2013. Teams have six weeks to design and build their robot to the contest specifications and will compete in regional competitions in March and April.

John Ballou, GMHS teacher and FIRST Robotics team sponsor, said that the team is very grateful for the donation. He thanked ExxonMobil for their support of the team, and invited them to attend an upcoming competition.

The GMHS FIRST Robotics team is sponsored by teacher John Ballou, and mentored by volunteers Don Brobst and Cricket Moore. It is open to students in grades 8-12.

Marybeth Connelly
Community Outreach Coordinator, Falls Church City Public Schools
Office: 703-248-5691 Cell: 703-403-7597 www.fccps.org

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

To learn more about ExxonMobil’s commitment to math and science, please visit: http://www.letssolvethis.com

Learn more about FIRST <http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc> Robotics.

DC Regional 2011


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