South Dade High robotics team competes in international competition

The South Dade Senior High School Robotics team performed well in the First Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas, which took place over the weekend. The robotics team was among more than 600 teams from around the world.

Shawn Waring, the team sponsor, was pleased with the team. He believed they learned paramount skills by both working and competing with some of the most talented and experienced robotics teams in the world. “We did well and we were able to spend three days competing and meeting with representatives from major technology companies. There were more than 50,000 fans at this event. This is the biggest stage I have been a part of” said Waring.

The Buccaneer Robotics team participated in ten alliances during the event. The team was able to get the robot to perform a task called trapping. They got the robot to hang from a chain about four feet above the ground and place a note, similar to a ball into a box. The robots also compete in a game, similar to soccer that includes offense, defense, and strategy. The goal is to get the note into a goal. The teams create alliances during the competition. The Bucs did not place high among the teams but did gain valuable experience. There were eight divisions and they participated in a middle-level division. A team from Israel won the competition.

“We played good defense. Our robot performed well, but not at the level of the teams that had engineers mentoring them,” said Waring. “Some of the teams had engineers and very experienced people advising and coaching them. We learned a lot by working with some of the teams,” Waring affirmed. One advantage to participating in an international competition was the chance to meet with representatives from companies such as Walt Disney, Raytheon, NASA, Boeing, the Department of Defense, and other organizations. The representatives discussed career opportunities with their companies and the robotics industry. They also visited college fairs and learned about some of the academic programs for students who want to focus on robotics and technology.

“Our students learned a lot by spending time with the members of other robotics teams that are among the best in the world,” said Waring. The students will continue working on improving their robots and gaining more skills and experience. The Bucs will also participate in an electric vehicle race. They will host a summer camp for boys and girls who are interested in robotics. Some of the more experienced students will be paid to teach younger students in the camp. During the upcoming fall, an off-season competition will be hosted.