Destrehan makes semi-finals, only second year attending
Destrehan and Hahnville high schools sent teams to compete in the three-day Bayou Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in Westwego on March 4-6.
The competition, which was held at the Alario Center, hosted teams from 38 schools in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, South Carolina, Florida, Colorado and California.
Each team had six weeks to create a robot with the same exact given set of parts that could perform certain tasks. The objective is different each year, but it is always challenging.
This year’s goal was a robot that could move regulation soccer balls and climb over obstacles to play a game called “breakaway.”
For Destrehan’s Wildcat Robotics team, this was the second year attending the competition and they made it to the semi-finals.
The team’s robot “CatzBot” was ranked No. 1 in zone defense during the tournament.
“We’re putting a quality product on the field and representing St. Charles Parish,” said Destrehan robotics team mentor Brian Young.
The robot that the team made had special Mecanum wheels, which allow it to turn 360 degrees easily.
The team has a number of sponsors that include Northrop Grunman, ITT Technical Institute – St. Rose Campus, Multiva, Valero, Murray and Assoc., EMI Engine Monitor Inc. and Shirt Shack.
However, they have still had a hard time finding enough sponsor dollars to pay the thousands in entrance fees to any other competition.
“We only have enough money to go to one regional,” Young said. “I’d be willing to bet that 2/3 of the other teams (at the competition) are going to another one. We made it to the semi-finals and we can’t go anywhere. Without enough money we can’t do anything.”
Both this year and last year, Destrehan had trouble getting the money for the competition and said that they are still looking for more sponsors.
Hahnville’s team is in a little bit better shape as far as sponsors are concerned.
“We’ve always been able to get the money,” said the Hahnville Robotics team’s mentor Laura Theriot, noting Monsanto and ITT Technical College as their main contributors. “It’s hard to get that money every year, but it’s so worthwhile. The kids love this activity.”
Students interested in mechanics and engineering are not the only ones who can find a place on a robotics team.
Theriot said that they have positions for designing the robot, building it, creating a Web site, public relations and t-shirt design.
“There’s room for everybody,” she said. “Not every kid who does this is a mechanic.”
Destrehan team member Brandon Harlow said that he was surprised to find a place on the team.
“If someone told me this time last year that I was going to devote almost every day after school including Saturdays for six weeks building a competition robot, I would’ve told them that they were crazy,” said Harlow, an 11th grade student. “However, the competition experience was absolutely unbelievable and I will gladly do it all again next year.”
Young said that this competition helps students to realize their potential and find fun in the engineering and mechanics field.
“The next superstars in mechanics and engineering come from this competition,” Young said.
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