Westminster’s FIRST Robotics Team Advances to the 2012 World Championship Competition

Town & Country – The Westminster Christian Academy FIRST Robotics team was recognized with the “All Star Rookie” award at the St. Louis Regional Competition and will now advance to the 2012 FIRST World Championship competition, which will be held April 26-28 at the Edward Jones Dome. Westminster’s participation in the competition was made possible by a $6500 grant from the Boeing Company.  This championship is the culmination of the season's FIRST programs, bringing together three separate robotics competitions. The event includes the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship (in which Westminster will compete), the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship, and the FIRST LEGO League World Festival, as well as the Junior FIRST LEGO League World Festival Expo.

 

Westminster will compete in seeding matches on Thursday from 1-6 p.m., Friday from 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 8:15-10:30 a.m. Then, the division matches will be held from 12-2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Teams of three robots will participate in a challenging basketball game called Rebound Rumble – the same game played in the regional competitions. There will be 304 robotics teams from around the world participating in the competition.

 

The team’s passion for robotics has inspired them to share their enthusiasm for science and engineering with Westminster middle school students, as well as to reach out to the Christian elementary school community. The students on the robotics team have spent time with the younger grades, teaching them how to maneuver mini robots – complete with camera technology – piquing the interests of many younger robotics-lovers.

 

The team’s mentor and Westminster teacher Lisa Harding says she is blown away by the amazing outcomes of Westminster’s participation in the FIRST robotics competition.

 

 “This competition has surprised everyone,” says Harding. “I am continually encouraged by these students’ unlimited confidence in their abilities. This competition has truly catalyzed our [science, technology, engineering, math] effort,” she says, referring to the STEM major that will be available to Westminster students beginning the 2012-13 school year. “These kids’ interest in and enthusiasm for robotics has sparked everything we’re about to do in STEM.”

 

Additional information about the Westminster’s team’s progress may be found at cyborgcats.tk.