Assabet Robotics So Popular It Had to Grow

Since 1993, Assabet Valley has had a FIRST robotics team that must conceptualize, design, build, test, and learn to drive a 120 pound robot that performs intelligent tasks by remote control, all in six weeks. And they’re really good at doing this. So much so that they don’t want to take breaks from working on it, and have many hoping to join the team.

With a few Regional Championships under their belt from previous years, last year the team earned the Judges award for “...the creative and effective use of the technology of the future, 3D printing,” at a competition held at Bryant University in Rhode Island, and then brought home the Engineering Excellence Award from the event at WPI in Worcester, said an announcement.

The interest level in STEM and engineering has been so high that the team expanded it to a year-round endeavor, even meeting over the summer.

“Our graduating seniors were excited to stay involved, as junior mentors, throughout the summer, and our incoming freshmen had signed up at their Orientation Night in June, so we didn’t want to lose that momentum,” explained Marcus Fletcher, Project Manager for the program, in a statement.

Beyond building small robotics projects in pre-season, such as a mechanical arm and turning a small motorized car into a remote control vehicle, the team began to expand their reach into the communities as well. Visits to several pre-schools with the robot were well-received over the summer, as was a demonstration at the Boston Children’s Museum.

Team members brought the robot to Marlborough’s Heritage Fair, Northborough’s Applefest, Assabet’s Grand Re-opening in October, the Assabet at Solomon Pond Mall day in November, and the school’s Exhibit/Admissions Night in December. Additionally, they demonstrated at a Providence Bruins’ game.

“We are trying to spread the word about how many fun careers there are in the STEM field by using the robotics program as a prime example,” said Fletcher in a statement.

Fletcher is a 1999 graduate of Assabet Valley, and was the robot driver for three years while a student, and volunteered every year after as a mentor until he was named Project Manager five years ago. To complete the circle, he was recently hired as a paraprofessional in the technical programs.

Photo (submitted): Jennifer Moore, Hudson, and Marcus Fletcher chat with a youngster as he rides in the Aztech 157 remote-controlled car at the Dana Farber Jimmy Fund holiday party where the robotics team were part of the entertainment for the children and families there.