Danbury High Robotics Teams Powers up for Another Winning Season

Press release:

DANBURY, CONN. — Three teams that comprise the Danbury High School Robotics Team are gearing up for another successful season after competing in their second competition over the weekend.

DHS Team E finished third place in preliminary match play at the competition held at Masuk High School in Monroe on Dec. 6. Team F came in fifth while Team D came in 14th of 33 competing teams. All three teams went on to pick their own alliances, a first-ever accomplishment. Team E won Tournament Champion in an alliance with Amity High School and Two Rivers Magnet School in Hartford. E team also took home the award for Robot Skills Champion for the robot driver that scored the most points in one minute, and Programming Skills Champion for scoring the most points in one minute with a programmed autonomous code.

The Honors Robotics course, taught by team adviser and DHS Technology Education Teacher Erik Savoyski, engages students in science, technology, engineering and math and helps prepare students for tomorrow’s high-tech workplace. Students taking the class have the opportunity to join the competitive robotics club, Team 5150.

Working within the VEX robotics platform, the team is competing across Connecticut and New England for a fifth year and qualified for the VEX World Championships four years in a row, first in Orlando, Fla. and three times in Anaheim, Calif. VEX Robotics is the fastest growing robotics platform in the world and this year’s game, Skyrise, is the most challenging VEX game yet.

Students on the team learn skills such as planning, brainstorming, collaboration, and teamwork in response to the challenges and obstacles. Problems are solved by individual efforts, or through interaction with their teammates and mentors. They experience firsthand the discipline of completing projects within timeframes. Competitive robotics represents the perfect storm of applied physics, computer programming, integrated problem solving, networking, and leadership.

The next competition will be held Jan. 17 at Manchester High School.

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Photo: Fickr