what these scrimmages are all about,” shares Rutins.“ Teams get together, and they have no problem saying to one another,‘ I cannot get this thing to work, can you help me?’ And if anybody achieves any part of the challenge, there are cheers all around.”
Rutins points out that running a robotics team requires more than ideas and enthusiasm. Costs add up quickly: registration fees, parts, field elements, T-shirts, snacks, and sometimes hotel stays for out-of-state competitions. She adds:“ Every year we need to buy parts, snacks, T-shirts, and with luck, hotel rooms for some of the longer competitions.” She adds that generous grants from the Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering and donations from local groups like the Green Mountain Girls have all been essential.
But Rutins stresses that money isn’ t the only vital resource that is necessary in order to run the team as smoothly as
Team members helm the controls at the FTC Vermont Regional Championship in February 2024 at Lamoille Union High School
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