High school robotics teams representing Fuquay-Varina High School’s “Slice” team and the “RoboEagles” of Enloe are currently competing in Houston, Texas. The competition, known as First Championship, brings together schools from around the world to pit their robot creations against one another in a battle bots-style competition. Despite being a competitive event, this is a competition where everyone involved can come out feeling like winners.
Thirteen teams from North Carolina, including Slice and the RoboEagles, have traveled to Houston for the world championships that take place from April 17-20, 2024. In preparation for the competition, students have been refining and tuning their robot creations. They have spent countless hours conceiving, designing, and coding their robots to make them battle ready.
Norm Dion, who oversees Team Slice at Fuquay-Varina High School, mentioned how much time and effort goes into preparing for these competitions. He highlighted the compressed schedule and the extensive work that needs to be done. The team relies on student fundraising efforts, sponsorships, and grants to make their participation in the competition possible.
RoboEagles advisor Greg Dunko shared that the students have been putting in a lot of time and effort in the lead up to the championship. He mentioned the sleepless nights and the frequent meetings the team has been having to ensure they are ready to compete. Cary senior Raza Alam expressed his love for the excitement and energy of these competitions, emphasizing the importance of chanting, screaming, and cheering to create an electrifying atmosphere.
The robots created by Team Slice follow autonomous programming, meaning they operate independently to complete required tasks. The more rings they successfully hit the target, the higher their score. Beyond just the fun and games, the skills that students acquire through these competitions attract attention from talent scouts, opening doors to internships and job opportunities after college.
Dunko stressed the importance of the students learning to work on teams, collaborate, and make decisions under pressure through their participation in these robotics competitions. The valuable skills and experiences gained in these high-tech challenges will undoubtedly benefit the students in their future endeavors.