Whitney High School Robotics Celebrates an Amazing Season
Photo courtesy of Aaron Lai - Top row (l-r): Stephanie Q., Lucy W., Moses W., Proud H. (Research Captain), Benjamin D. (Robot/Mechanical Captain), Daniel W., Jonathan L. and Sophia L. Bottom row (l-r): Mrs. Sandra Bruesch (Mentor), Lawrence D., Tony N. and Ms. McSherry (Mentor). Missing is Terry Domae, Coach.
On Saturday, December 17, fans, families, educators and industry leaders celebrated middle school students? engineering prowess at the Los Angeles CountyFIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO® League (FLL)Championship Tournament.FLL introduces younger children (ages 9 - 15) to real-world engineering challenges by conducting research projects and building LEGO-based, autonomously programmed robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface.
The best forty-eight teams from qualifying tournaments across the southland were invited to the Championship, based on Robot Performance, Robot Design, Project and Teamwork scores earned at the qualifying tournaments.Whitney?s Team 267 - Sunny Side Up -had won the coveted Champion?s Award at the Manhattan Beach qualifier, and repeated that amazing feat at the Championship Tournament. The WHS Robotics Club team 267was also named an official FLL Ambassador Team for the year 2012.
The team now must decide which of the world-wide Invitational they will attend.Invitations will be coming from LEGOLAND, California (May 4 - 6, 2012 Championship), LEGOLAND, Florida (May 18 - 20, 2012), or the Open European Championship (June 7 - 9, 2012) in Mannheim, Germany.The FLL World Festival, a culminating celebration of the FLL season (not a competition), will occur in St. Louis, MO, April 25 - 28, 2012. Follow their progress at http://fllteam267.weebly.com/
VRC & FTC TEAMS ADVANCE TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!
This outstanding news followed amazing wins by the other two Whitney High School Robotics Club teams on Saturday, December 10.Both the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) team and the FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) team will be advancing to their respective world-class robotics competitions. In Poway, California, VRC Team 542 was the Captain of the competition’s winning alliance.That means that their robots outscored every other robot at the competition.The Winning Alliance Award Captain qualifies to attend the VEX Robotics World Championship, to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, California, USA, April 18 - 21, 2012.The second invitation to the world championship goes to the team that wins the Excellence Award - the highest award presented in the VEX Robotics Competition.The recipient of this award is a team the exemplifies overall excellence in building a well-rounded robotics program.Twice qualified, Whitney’s VRC Team 542 also won the Excellence Award!
Left to right are: Saatchi P., Leonard R., Sofia D., Leia C (team Captain, in front), Matthew H., Timothy C., Akira W., and Augustine N. Not shown are: Zach R., Joshua Y., Shawn D., Dae Jin P., Hao C. and coach, Mr. Steve Wong.
On the same day, in Monrovia, California, Whitney High School’s FTC Team 542 participated in the FTC Los Angeles Regional competition, where they were finalists for the Connect Award and the Think Award, and where they won the Motivate Award (1st place) and Inspire Award (2nd place).FTC Team 542 will be advancing to the FTC World Championship, April 25 - 28, 2012, at the Edward Jones Dome, America’s Center, St. Louis, Missouri.
Shown (left to right) are: Top row - Victor D., Vignesh S., Jhuvin P., and Sean O. Center section - Sana Y., Eric W., Lorenzo G., Mrs. Sandra Bruesch (Mentor), William L., Brian K. (Captain), Avi B., Michael I., Nitin S., Ada H., and Aaron L. In front - Vamsi C. and Jeremy W. Not Shown: Allen M.
Upcoming Events
JANUARY, 2012
Jan. 4th - Parents' Meeting was held in the MPR. We discussed the World games and what we need to do to prepare for them. FTC team members, Mr. & Mrs. Bradshaw, and Mr. & Mrs. Dang will be travelling to St. Louis. VRC team members will be going to Anaheim, and FLL decided on the Carlsbad, CA Open Invitational. If you did not provide your contact info, please e-mail it, ASAP, to WHSRobotics@aol.com
Jan.9th - Team Captains and the WHS Robotics Club cabinet say a heart-felt "THANK YOU!" to Jim Kloman, President of Brenner-Fiedler Pneumatic and Automation Solutions. Brenner-Fiedler has supported our program since 2002 - our longest term supporter. We appreciate that Mr. Kloman and his Brenner-Fiedler family have always been there for us - our BBFF's (Best Brenner-Fiedler Friends)! This event is being rescheduled. Watch for new date.
Jan. 16th - Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday. No School.
Jan. 20th - The Carver Robotics Cluster has been cancelled for Winter. We need a volunteer driver for the Spring Cluster. Please let us know if you have a parent who can drive in April/May.
FEBRUARY
Feb. 3rd - No school today at WHS.
Feb. 13th - Lincoln's Birthday Holiday. No School.
Feb. 18th - VRC Team 542 will compete at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) in the Robofest 2012 VEX Gateway Challenge. 7am - 5pm. Meet at 6am in the north parking lot.
Feb. 20th - Washington's Birthday Holiday. FLL will do a presentation at Raytheon's Math Moves U Day.
APRIL
Apr. 6 - Good Friday Holiday. No School. Have a great Spring Break! See you on the 16th.
