Foximus Prime: Base Team in Action

Teams, teams, and more teams to cover. This edition will illuminate the Base team, a sub team of the Build team. With construction coming to a strict end, the teams work frantically to finish the robot. The base team has the task of creating a mechanism that will not only maneuver the course but also overcome the four-inch barrier that separates the two halves of the playing field. There are also ramps the robot must go over, but in the event that the ramp is being used by another robot, the barrier must be climbed. They are on a tight schedule with task of building two bases so the Drive Team can practice before competition.

Matt Pansera is a senior who plans to major in mechanical engineering and possibly actuarial science. His college plans are between Iowa State University and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Matt states the biggest challenge to him is making the robot go over the four-inch barrier consistently and efficiently. Matt feels that the Robotics Club has giving him a great opportunity to explore the engineering field and gives a head start to those thinking about this major.

Jordan Gingrich is also a senior at Yorkville High School and plans on attending University of Missouri. His chosen major is mechanical engineering, quite fitting for the activities he helps with in the Foximus Prime build shop. Jordan feels the biggest challenge was agreeing and acting on one idea for the base and all the parts involved with this essential piece to the robot. Jordan is often quoted saying, “All the cool kids are doing it [robotics].”

Sam Kiesewetter, the freshmen of the group, has yet to pick a school or a major. He has two schools in mind, either Texas Christian University or Illinois Westland. Sam has no concrete major but knows he wishes to enter the field of education. Sam’s biggest challenge is keeping up with the older and more experienced kids and absorbing all the information needed to complete such a task. Sam says, “The best benefit to Robotics is the food, plus you get to build a robot on the side.”

Trevor Skibinski is a sophomore and understandably, undecided but has thought about Cornell University or the University of Illinois. His major is some type of engineering, either mechanical or aeronautical. Trevor’s biggest challenge involves all the small adjustments the need to be made to incorporate all the other parts and overcoming the barrier. He feels that Robotics is a great organization and wishes more kids would get involved.

Carm Pansera, the mentor, is a self-employed contractor specializing in roofing and remodeling. His business is called Pansera Enterprises and is based in Yorkville. He became involved because both of his sons are in the program and his wife’s encouragement was involved.  Carm says his biggest challenge is getting the base to navigate over the barrier and having the robot maneuver the course efficiently. Carm believes that the Robotics Team is a great experience working with kids and adapting to the different levels of knowledge when it comes to use of tools and about robotics in general. Carm’s famous quote is, “Be careful; that will cut you.”

With the build season ending, time is of the essence but that does not mean this blog will stop updating throughout the season. There are more teams to cover outside of the umbrella of the build team. Keep checking in on the progress and make sure to see the pictures and video, of the base in action, in this blog. In addition, competitions will be a topic of discussion. Again, we advocate the asking of questions and the addition of comments. What time is it? Prime time!

~Amber Milliron

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