placing blocks and driving. We are also
they were on FIRST LEGO League teams, the robot on the field, including operating
working on a second design that will solve
and both boys have displayed a passion for the lift mechanism.
many of the hurdles with our current
“Our team has been preparing for the
robotics from a young age.
robot. The engineering notebook is a key
state competition since the first qualifier
The team is coached by Jeff Beckstead.
part of the competition, so we are working
in December,” says Luke. “During that
Beckstead has a career as a physicist and
on adding more information and graphics
has been coaching, judging and mentoring qualifier, we won second place overall,
to it. If we do well at states, we could
which is called the Inspire Award. By
FIRST teams for 17 years. He dedicates
advance to the World Festival
endless hours coaching
in Detroit in April.”
FIRST teams entirely
He adds, “I enjoy robotics
on a volunteer basis.
because I get to help design,
He is currently
build, and program a robot
coaching four teams—
as well as try new things.
two FTC and two
The people on the MARS:
FLLas part of the Mars
Curiosity? team are also
Robotics Association
really talented and nice.
and continues to judge
The competitions are a lot
and volunteer in other
of fun because we get to talk
FIRST competitions as
to other teams and meet
much as he can.
new people.”
The Mars
“I am passionate about
Robotics Association
Mars Robotics Association’s two FTC Teams Mars: Curiosity? (white shirts) and Mars:
robotics and I have been
is a 501(c)(3)
Opportunity (green shirts) with their awards at the West Central PA Qualifier in December.
interested in technology ever
nonprofit organization
since I was little, and I really enjoy both
winning this award, our team was one of
located in Mars and has programs
four teams at this competition to qualify to building and coding robots,” says Luke.
for students in fourth through 12th
“I think everyone should have at least a
move on to states.”
grade—FIRST LEGO League (FLL)
bit of experience doing robotics because
“In early January, we participated in
and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC).
of its growing importance in society. As
another regional qualifier at Eden Hall
The group is a part of FIRST (For
technology continues to advance, it will
Upper Elementary, where we earned
Inspiration and Recognition of Science
be important for more and more people to
and Technology)—a leading not-for-profit the first-place Inspire Award out of the
have these skills.”
23 other teams participating,” continues
STEM engagement program for kids
Both boys are excited to continue with
Owen. “Now, we have time to improve our
worldwide.
robotics on their team throughout high
robot before the next qualifier at Oxford,
Teams compete in local, state and
school and plan on pursuing some form of
Pa., at the end of January.”
national tournaments. Each season,
robotics in their future.
FIRST is one of the major
the teams design, build and program
Mars Robotics Association is entirely
robotics competitions worldwide, and
robots to compete head-to-head
volunteer based and financially supported
encourages collaboration and teamwork
with other FIRST teams. As a part of
by sponsors. To learn more about the
as part of the competition—making it
these competitions, participants also
extremely unique. FTC teams are assigned association, visit the Facebook page and/
do scientific and engineering research
or website, marsfirstrobotics.org, or email
with an alliance partner at competitions,
projects that pertain to real life. The Mars
not knowing in advance who the team is or info@marsfirstrobotics.org.
Robotics Association had 18 students in
Additional information about
what their robot can do. This means that
its programs during the 2018-19 season
the FIRST program can be found at
teams must build their robot to allow it
and this year, both of the programs have
firstinspires.org. n
to work with another team’s robot during
doubled in size. While the programs are
the competition.
robotics based, the focus is on teaching
Teams who are meeting for the first
students life skills such as teamwork,
time at the competition must collaborate
problem solving and business skills.
and create the best plan for their robots
“We are not using kids to build robots.
to complement each other to score the
We are using robots to build kids,” says
greatest amount of points together.
Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST.
Robots paired in one match are partners,
Luke and Owen are programmers
while in another match they may
for the team, mainly programming
be competitors. Because of the unique
the movements of the robot and the
nature of the alliances, competitions are
attachments used to move objects around
friendly and fun.
during the competitions, using the Java
“We have been preparing for the State
programming language. They helped
Championship by testing and refining our
program the code that allows the robot
current robot and adding automation to
to move autonomously as well as put the
make driving easier,” says Owen. “This
code structure together. They are also
includes adding autonomous features for
drivers during competitions, maneuvering
PINE-RICHLAND
❘
SPRING 2020
27