The Robots Stand Down

It's been an excellent FIRST robotics season.  Oh, it had moments of stress, that's always going to be the case.  But the team worked hard, built a good robot and laid down a solid foundation for next season.  Here's a few lighter moments from the season and a recent wrap up/tidy up session.

For most teams CAD means Computer Assisted Design.  This year we did a lot with just plain wooden prototyping.  Cedar Assisted Design.

This was the Year of the Goat.  Other critters also showed up so our pit area became a menagerie.

One team that we ran across at tournament time had a Dinosaur theme going.  This was one of their scouting team so I'm still sticking with my No More Mascots promise.

Because our build sessions were right after school there was a real temptation to eat snacks in the work areas.  Eventually we had to ban goodies because cleaning up after work was hard enough without crumbs.  I guess it must be a problem for the school in general because after our season ended this sign turned up.  It should be persuasive.  I sure would not want to receive a 6th grader to take home.

The robots have bumpers which are made from foam "pool noodles" covered with fabric.  Pool noodles of course are very tempting items.  Kids just want to bop each other with them.  At our last tidy up session I said what the heck, go for it.

Although we have build space in the middle school our team is mostly high school students.  We usually do bring up a few 8th graders to the "big club".  So every year after the competition season is over we have these kids bring the robot to middle school lunch hour.  It is a chance for them to show off for their friends.  Some of their friends are Silly People.