Barlow Bots In Search Of Space: Robotics Team Needs New Practice Area

REDDING, CT — The Joel Barlow High School Robotics Team could use a helping hand from the community.

The team, currently building a bot to meet the 2024 challenge, is in need of a large practice space to prepare for this year’s competition.

The space must be big enough to for the team to fully test the machine and for driver/operator practice.

The ideal practice space would:

• Be available from Feb. 15 to April 10.
• Accommodate a 55-foot by 26-foot playing field
• Have a smooth, level floor (low pile carpet preferred but not an absolute must-have)
• Have no columns in the middle of the practice space (the team will be driving the robot at about 15 feet per second)
• Have a ceiling height of 9 feet or more
• Allow the team to leave the practice field set up and to leave the robot and tools overnight
• Allow the team to come and go as needed (always with at least one adult mentor present)
• Be a reasonable distance for team members (residents of Easton and Redding)
• Have Wifi or at least good cell service for hot spots

Empty commercial office or warehouse space, or unoccupied retail space could be a great fit if it meets the requirements mentioned above according to the team, who will be "happy to list the location owners as in-kind sponsors so they can get a business tax write-off for helping a non-profit in the community that supports our high school students and their career pathways as future engineers, technology professionals, and innovators."

Interested parties may contact the team at joelbarlowrobotics@gmail.com.

…and if you can't donate a warehouse, consider becoming a sponsor.