Building the Future of the Season One Prototype at a Time
Robotics team is getting ready to participate in the 2023-24 season with high hopes of competing well.
By Jake Brodrick
Robotics team is getting ready to participate in the 2023-24 season with high hopes of competing well.
By Jake Brodrick
The start of the 2023-24 robotics season is opening with some high expectations and excitement over this year's set of competitions and games. The team will start their season working on prototypes for their competitions and finding the best way to succeed at them.
Robotics consists of eight different sub teams that all work together to produce their own parts and pieces which they combine together to make the final product. The team works long hours on a four day per week schedule, 3:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Team member Dylan Jegan, 9, feels that even though he’s new to the team, he’s learned skills that he can apply to the program.
“I learned quite a bit of electrical work, like how to solder, I kinda understand how a lot of writing works and how motors work and since I've joined pretty recently I haven’t been able to apply it outside of robotics, but definitely cooperation and teamwork,” said Jegan.
Electrical team captain Gabe Sunseri, 11, is excited for this season's opportunity and getting to learn from new mentors.
“I'm excited to finally apply what I've learned over the past two years (and) being a captain this year, and make the best robot possible. It’s also exciting to work with our new electrical mentor Dominique Brichard, who’s an electrical engineer and very knowledgeable about that kind of thing,” said Sunseri.
Sunseri isn’t the only person who sees plenty of opportunity for the robotics team to succeed this year. Vice President Jack Vierhus, a freshman at Foothill College, shares equal enthusiasm for what the season will bring.
“This year we’re in a unique position where around this time productivity and morale declined last year, but currently both morale and productivity are super high, everyone is engaged. I’m excited for most stuff this year and this year’s game is going to be super cool and it’s pretty straight forward so that should be really fun,” said Vierhus.
While team members are excited for their season, there are some difficulties with being a part of the robotics program. Kian Sassani, 12, feels that keeping a good balance of school and robotics can be difficult.
“Robotics is a very big time commitment so (it's) keeping your grades and keep going to robotics while making meaningful contributions,” said Sassani.
Their long hours have the opportunity to reflect the work they make. Their newest project will have many different functions and abilities like being able to move via input form a controller, being able to launch foam rings, being able to pick up said foam rings and being able to climb chains.
The time spent in the robotics room not only teaches the members skills for building the machines, but also prepares them for work outside of robotics. Andrea Martinez, 10, would like to pursue engineering in the future and feels that robotics has taught her skills that she can apply in accomplishing that dream.
“I hope that if I get into a summer program, I can apply that knowledge to there, CADing (Computer Aided Design) is definitely important in engineering, civil, electrical, anything like that,” said Martinez.
Learning the technical skills of robotics is one of the many benefits of joining the team, but other skills that help outside of the program are taught through the team's efforts.
“(I’ve learned) mainly how to stick to a schedule, in robotics you use charts to list out things to do and now I list out the things I have to do like homework and being more organized and managing my time better,” said Sassaini.
Working on the electrical subteam teaches skills that would help in everyday life. Learning skills that apply to outside the program are one of the most important skills the program teaches.
“Let’s say you’re installing a light bulb or working on your house, it’s all the same naming conventions so you’re like ‘oh I’ve seen this before’ and you know what it is, how it connects and how to put it together,” said Sunseri.
Robotics consists of eight different sub teams that all work together to produce their own parts and pieces which they combine together to make the final product. The team works long hours on a four day per week schedule, 3:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays and 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Team member Dylan Jegan, 9, feels that even though he’s new to the team, he’s learned skills that he can apply to the program.
“I learned quite a bit of electrical work, like how to solder, I kinda understand how a lot of writing works and how motors work and since I've joined pretty recently I haven’t been able to apply it outside of robotics, but definitely cooperation and teamwork,” said Jegan.
Electrical team captain Gabe Sunseri, 11, is excited for this season's opportunity and getting to learn from new mentors.
“I'm excited to finally apply what I've learned over the past two years (and) being a captain this year, and make the best robot possible. It’s also exciting to work with our new electrical mentor Dominique Brichard, who’s an electrical engineer and very knowledgeable about that kind of thing,” said Sunseri.
Sunseri isn’t the only person who sees plenty of opportunity for the robotics team to succeed this year. Vice President Jack Vierhus, a freshman at Foothill College, shares equal enthusiasm for what the season will bring.
“This year we’re in a unique position where around this time productivity and morale declined last year, but currently both morale and productivity are super high, everyone is engaged. I’m excited for most stuff this year and this year’s game is going to be super cool and it’s pretty straight forward so that should be really fun,” said Vierhus.
While team members are excited for their season, there are some difficulties with being a part of the robotics program. Kian Sassani, 12, feels that keeping a good balance of school and robotics can be difficult.
“Robotics is a very big time commitment so (it's) keeping your grades and keep going to robotics while making meaningful contributions,” said Sassani.
Their long hours have the opportunity to reflect the work they make. Their newest project will have many different functions and abilities like being able to move via input form a controller, being able to launch foam rings, being able to pick up said foam rings and being able to climb chains.
The time spent in the robotics room not only teaches the members skills for building the machines, but also prepares them for work outside of robotics. Andrea Martinez, 10, would like to pursue engineering in the future and feels that robotics has taught her skills that she can apply in accomplishing that dream.
“I hope that if I get into a summer program, I can apply that knowledge to there, CADing (Computer Aided Design) is definitely important in engineering, civil, electrical, anything like that,” said Martinez.
Learning the technical skills of robotics is one of the many benefits of joining the team, but other skills that help outside of the program are taught through the team's efforts.
“(I’ve learned) mainly how to stick to a schedule, in robotics you use charts to list out things to do and now I list out the things I have to do like homework and being more organized and managing my time better,” said Sassaini.
Working on the electrical subteam teaches skills that would help in everyday life. Learning skills that apply to outside the program are one of the most important skills the program teaches.
“Let’s say you’re installing a light bulb or working on your house, it’s all the same naming conventions so you’re like ‘oh I’ve seen this before’ and you know what it is, how it connects and how to put it together,” said Sunseri.