Rookie Year for Braves Robotics Team Nets Trophies and Honors
The Justin-Siena FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics Team, Negative Kelvin, earned some impressive awards and distinctions in their second competition in their rookie year, garnering then a place in the NorCal regional competitions to be held in Newark, CA later this month.
In a learning year for a team that only organized in October 2015 and who has been competing against longer established teams, Negative Kelvin has certainly been holding its own against the completion. Since October, these industrious engineering students, along with coaches Mr. Chris Fidler ’02 and Mr. Garry Carpenter, have been learning, building, and preparing for FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) league competition.
According to Mr. Carpenter, the team has grown and learned a lot this year. He explains that the competition is presented in the form of a game—this year called Res-Q, which has a mountain climbing motif. Teams are required to build robots that can achieve a number of different functions such as climbing, clear debris off a path, accessing levels to “rescue” distressed “hikers,” and more. Points are tallied in a number of different ways from form and function to team dynamics and presentations. Mr. Carpenter was really proud of how the group worked as a team and looked out for each other.
ROCKWELL COLLINS INNOVATE AWARD WINNER (trophy): for their "snowplow" design on the robot.
FINALIST ALLIANCE AWARD WINNERS (trophy): for being chosen by the #4 seed team to join them, and then together winning the semi-finals to compete in the final rounds.
2ND PLACE INSPIRE AWARD WINNER: this is where the judges look at everything about the team and qualifies the team to advance to the NorCal regional champiotnships
TWO DEAN'S LIST SEMIFINALISTS: the prestigious Dean's List Award will be given to only 10 FTC team members nationwide. Joey Devine '17 and Elizabeth Hyde '17 are Semi-Finalists for that award and were interviewed at the recent competition. There are fewer than 10 semi-finalists in the NorCal region, which can put forth two team members to be considered as finalists.
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According to Mr. Carpenter, the team has grown and learned a lot this year. He explains that the competition is presented in the form of a game—this year called Res-Q, which has a mountain climbing motif. Teams are required to build robots that can achieve a number of different functions such as climbing, clear debris off a path, accessing levels to “rescue” distressed “hikers,” and more. Points are tallied in a number of different ways from form and function to team dynamics and presentations. Mr. Carpenter was really proud of how the group worked as a team and looked out for each other.
Last weekend the fifteen-member team of young engineers earned the following distinctions:
ROCKWELL COLLINS INNOVATE AWARD WINNER (trophy): for their "snowplow" design on the robot.
FINALIST ALLIANCE AWARD WINNERS (trophy): for being chosen by the #4 seed team to join them, and then together winning the semi-finals to compete in the final rounds.
2ND PLACE INSPIRE AWARD WINNER: this is where the judges look at everything about the team and qualifies the team to advance to the NorCal regional champiotnships
TWO DEAN'S LIST SEMIFINALISTS: the prestigious Dean's List Award will be given to only 10 FTC team members nationwide. Joey Devine '17 and Elizabeth Hyde '17 are Semi-Finalists for that award and were interviewed at the recent competition. There are fewer than 10 semi-finalists in the NorCal region, which can put forth two team members to be considered as finalists.
Negative Kelvin was also nominated for the following:
Control Award Nominee
Motivate Award Nominee
Design Award Nominee
Think Award Nominee
Motivate Award Nominee
Design Award Nominee
Think Award Nominee
TEAM MEMBERS
Jordan Bowman-Davis ’19
Brett Carey ’19
Rachel Carey ’17
Dylan Cavaz ’17
Caspar Croft ’16
Sahil Dadhwal ’19
Joseph Devine III ’17
Eric Fitzgerald ’17
Elizabeth Hyde ’17
Audrey Lee ’18
Paul Morlet ’17
Jake Potrebic ’17
Etienne Robin ’19
Andrew Wang ’16
Brett Carey ’19
Rachel Carey ’17
Dylan Cavaz ’17
Caspar Croft ’16
Sahil Dadhwal ’19
Joseph Devine III ’17
Eric Fitzgerald ’17
Elizabeth Hyde ’17
Audrey Lee ’18
Paul Morlet ’17
Jake Potrebic ’17
Etienne Robin ’19
Andrew Wang ’16
COACHES
Chris Fidler ’02, Engineering Department Chair
Garry Carpenter, Instructor in Engineering and Math
Chris Fidler ’02, Engineering Department Chair
Garry Carpenter, Instructor in Engineering and Math
MENTOR
Neil Bowman-Davis, parent
Neil Bowman-Davis, parent
Justin-Siena High School
Justin-Siena is a Lasallian Catholic college preparatory community that serves young people in grades 9–12.