Downey High Robotics Team

 
by Lorine Parks
 
WHAT moves without legs, crawls like a caterpillar, and is more fun than a Bumper Car Ride at Disneyland?  It’s # 5851, Downey High School’s First Robotics Club entry in a Robotic Tournament
 
Downey High School’s “Striking Vikings” Robotics team recently entered a competition at the Long Beach Convention Center. In the game, the Vikings used their robot, appropriately named “Fear the Beard,” to clear obstacles and eventually shoot a ball into a tower.
 
WHY does the Club need a 36-person team, “when 5 or 6 could easily build a robot?” team advisor and lead speaker Edwin Huber rhetorically asked.  Because not only does a robot have to be built, it has to have mechanical specifications; a Web site; it has to be designed and programmed to complete an obstacle course; sink a basketball in a hoop; and cook breakfast for everyone.  Well, maybe not the last task, but... 
 
As the students talked to us, a video behind them showed the action: contestant robots, red team “tanks” against blue ones, crawling over obstacles and under bridges, and picking up balls and shooting looping baskets.   
 
The competition was taking place outdoors on a warm evening and the level
surface seemed to be a converted parking lot tarmac.  Spectators cheered from the stands and referees in black and white striped shirts walked around the sidelines to make sure the robots stayed within bounds while they performed their tasks.
 
Some sixty schools competed, and our Downey team wore red tee shirts with “Striking Vikings” emblazoned on the front.  Logos on the back, just like race cars, included NASA and Kiwanis, but not a Rotary logo, not yet.  Currently, Downey’s Robotics team is sponsored by nine businesses and foundations, including Kiwanis Foundation, BAD Enterprises, RPM 12, Stauffer Foundation, Pacific Steel and Tubing, Downey Federal Credit Union, NASA, YamoNautics, and Stay Gallery.
 
As each team member took turns explaining an aspect of the project, the others listened attentively and nodded their heads in agreement – a team effort.  After being assigned the project for the competition, along with specifications as to size, weight and materials, the team typically takes 6 weeks to complete it, they said.
 
Well, not that last chore.  But the skills that these students have learned and display could just as easily be adapted to send a satellite to the moon. Team management and team play are the style.   A proud Dr. John Garcia was on hand to observe how well the Downey Unified School System is showing what the new STEM program is all about – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
 
WHERE in the world do students use these skills?  To be competitive in today’s world, America’s school children have to be taught the science that lets them engineer innovative life systems.  And the team has to be led by a project leader with management skills, and sold by a marketing team that knows advertising and promotional skills.   And it has to come in on budget – math, anyone?
 
HOW would you expect these teams to be constituted?  Drop the old stereotypes of STEM values being only for boys/men.  Today’s members from Downey High consisted of two young women, Alyssa Montenegro and Marisa Lopez.  A young man named Raymond Bagaygay completed the presenter list. 
 
 
Team 5851 Striking Vikings was created in September 2015. Starting with only one mentor, Huber, and fifteen students, Striking Vikings within six months grew into a team of 33 students and gained enough community sponsors to kick start the season. 
 
Although the 2015-2016 FRC (First Robotics Competition) season was Striking Vikings’ first year in competition, Striking Vikings was still able to establish itself as a major STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) and volunteer proponent in the community.
 
And recently in the Los Angeles Regional Competition the team won the "All Star Rookie Award" for being the best rookie team in all aspects including team leadership and robot performance. This award was a big win for the team since it automatically qualified it for international FRC (First Robotics Competition) Championship Competition in St. Louis.  The success story goes on and on.
 
WHEN you get capable high school students who learned all this right here in Downey, then you know the world will be in good shape in their capable hands.
 
 
Look at the above photo closely there is a lot of good conversation about technology, but if you look really close you will notice that Dr. Bob is using his "smart phone". That is keeping up with the times, way-to-go Dr. Bob.