A few follow up items....

Thanks to those of you who attended the meeting last week.  As a follow up we wanted to remind everyone of a few items. 

1.    We asked, as you know, for each family to donate one case of water for the team to be used during the competitions.  Please drop this water off on either Monday or Wednesday evening to the robotics room (Room 5-12 / Pre-Engineering / Machine Shop).  Mr. McAlpin and/or Mr. DePrince will be there until at least 8:00PM getting ready with some students for the competition.   If you wish to make other arrangements to drop off the water, please e-mail or call Mr. DePrince at the below contact info.  If we need more donations of snacks or water after this event we will let you know. Thanks for your help with this.

2.    Spirit!  Spirit!!  SPIRIT!!!   -  Students, Parents, Guardians, Friends, Supporters, Family Members!!!  Please bring your spirit with you to the competition.  Where a team shirt or red shirt….bring pom-poms, Team #203 signs, etc., etc.  Show your support for your team!!!  This is a very spirited, family friendly event…please come out, support your students, and our team…. 

3.    Please refer to the agendas provided at the meeting for bus times, event details, etc…  Please be sure your child is prompt.  We are on a very tight schedule for the events and we would not want to leave anyone behind. 

4.    We will try to post information during and after event about how we are doing, updated scheduling, and information on our team blog!  To follow team #203 on the internet and get up-to-date info visit our blog site at : http://cctsfirst.blogspot.com/  

 

As we need to share more info we will do so on the blog and via e-mail.

Thanks again for all of your support through the build season…..   We are very excited to begin our competition season!!!!

GO ROCKY!!!  GO CCTS ROBOTICS!!!!!  GO TEAM #203!!!!!

Mr DePrince and Mr. McAlpin

Meeting Reminder

Hello Parents / Guardians and Students of FIRST Robotics Team #203:

 Please be reminded that there is a mandatory Parent and Student Meeting for all FIRST Robotics Families on Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 7:00PM.  Please note that there is a location change for the meeting.  WE WILL BE MEETING IN THE BLACK BOX THEATRE IN BUILDING #2 AND NOT THE CONFERENCE CENTER!

Thank you all for your support during the build season…!!!!  Now the competitions begin!!!!

See you all on Thursday Evening!!!

GO ROCKY!!!  GO CCTS ROBOTICS!!!!!  GO TEAM #203!!!!!

Mr DePrince and Mr. McAlpin

DOWN TO THE WIRE -- NO PRESIDENT’s DAY OFF FOR FIRST ROBOTICS!!!!!

Dear:  Parents, Guardians, Supporters, and FIRST TEAM MEMBERS:

As we enter the final major weekend of the FIRST Main Build Season….we need all hands on deck!!!! As stated above…we will be working all day on Saturday, Sunday and Monday (YES PRESIDENT’s DAY!!). 

WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

SATURDAY 2/15: 10AM until ???

SUNDAY 2/16: 9AM until ???

MONDAY 2/17  10AM until ???

SNACKS:

Snack cabinet is very low!  We need donations of Drinks (Water, Juice and Soda) and snacks.  Please bring them in this weekend!!!!

We will try to update through the weekend if possible!

Thanks, Mr. McAlpin and Mr. DePrince

 LET’s GO  FIRST!!! GO ROCKY!  GO TEAM 203!!

Week 5 UPDATE

Dear Parents, Guardians, Team Members, and Supporters of Team #203:

 

GREETINGS, this is “Rocky the Robot” 2014!!!

 

I thought I would write you myself this morning as some of my young teammates and their coaches / mentors are working at school this Sunday morning (many also worked late Friday and Saturday night) to make sure that I am one of the most successful robots in the team’s history.   Last evening I was able to drive very well and shoot the ball.  This morning they are working on getting my ability to pick up the balls and launch them more accurately. 

 

The programmers are also working very hard to make sure I am very smart and can do several functions on my own.   Today I will be getting a gyro sensor installed so I know all by myself what direction I am driving.  I also have encoders on my wheels so my drivers know what distance I have traveled and how fast it takes me to get to a certain point.  Last night, my camera was installed allowing me to see and target the goals.  This week I will have LED lights installed so I can see the targets and determine my distance to the goals geometrically.  This will also allow my program to tell my drivers when it is optimal to shoot the ball. 

 

The graphics team has been hard at work making me look good as well as the team members.  The final t-shirt design is completed as well as the team button!  Mr. DePrince will be mailing home T-Shirt order forms early in the week which is due back soon.  Please be sure you get those to him so they can be ordered.  Also, the team has been designing my attire as well.  I am getting covered in plexi-glass which will be decorated with our theme elements as well as our team sponsors.  I am very excited not only to be technically very good, but to look good as well!

 

Although I run on 12 Volt batteries that my young friends keep nice and charged for me, they require occasional snacks and drinks to keep them fueled.  If you can help me keep charged by keeping them charged, the team is always looking for snacks and drinks as donations.  Please drop them off to the robot room. 

 

This coming week and weekend will be very busy with our team working night and day to get me together!  There is just under two weeks where I have to be substantially completed.  President’s day weekend will not be a holiday for Team #203.  My teammates and I will be working Sat, Sun, and Monday (yes president’s day)!

 

As I sign off for now, I would like to thank everyone that has been working so hard putting me together.  Especially those students and coaches who have been putting in so much extra time on the weekends and evenings. 

 

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Mr. DePrince or Mr. McAlpin at the below number and e-mail!!!

 

Yours in Robotics,

ROCKY THE ROBOT 2014

 

LET’s GO  FIRST!!! GO ROCKY!  GO TEAM 203!!

 

FIRST ROBOTICS WEEK #4 Update

Hello Students , Parents, Guardians and Supporters/Friends of FIRST TEAM #203:

Believe it or not we are already wrapping up tomorrow Week #3….Thats right we are half way through the BUILD SEASON!!!! 

Please find below an information update:

ROBOT PROGRESS
We have had a few setbacks this past week, but we feel we are back on target, and need to work extra hard this weekend!

WEEKEND WORK SCHEDULE 2/1 & 2/2

Saturday, February 1
Work Session Beginning at 9AM until ???

Sunday, February 2
Working from 9AM to 2PM…we will let everyone know on Saturday!  But we need to keep moving and will need a good workday on BOTH Saturday and Sunday!!!!!

SNACKS

SNACK AND DRINK SUPPLIES ARE VERY LOW!!!!!  Note to all parents / guardians:  If you are able to send snacks and drinks in, it would be much appreciated by our team members.  Particularly pre-packaged snacks such as chips, cookies, crackers, pretzels, etc…If each team member could bring in a case of water, that would be great!

UPCOMING PARENT MEETINGG

The next parent meeting will be on February 4 at 7:00PM in the Conference Center at the Gloucester Township Campus…ALL PARENTS ARE ASKED TO ATTEND!!!!!

PARENTS AND FAMILIES INVITED!

As we stated, parents and families are always invited to attend our work sessions.  We are always looking for help…parents please feel free to attend and help out with building, food, safety, and anything else.  Saturdays are good day for parent help. 

Thank you all for your support as always.  Please feel free to contact us at anytime with any questions or clarifications!

Mr. Tony DePrince and Mr. Andy McAlpin, FIRST Advisors

LET’s GO  FIRST!!! GO ROCKY!  GO TEAM 203!!

Mr. Anthony DePrince
District Project Coordinator
Camden County Technical Schools
343 Berlin Cross Keys Road
Sicklerville, NJ 08081-4000
Phone: (856) 767-7000 x5419
Fax: (856) 767-3638
e-mail: tdeprince@ccts.net
web: www.ccts.info

FIRST ROBOTICS WEEK #3 Update

Hello Students , Parents, Guardians and Supporters/Friends of FIRST TEAM #203:

Believe it or not we are already wrapping up tomorrow Week #3….Thats right we are half way through the BUILD SEASON!!!! 

Please find below an information update:

ROBOT PROGRESS
We are still making great progress on the robot.  We have perfected the ball launcher!!!  We can retract it and launch a ball!   We will be attaching it to the chassis tomorrow!! We have tested our pneumatic programming and hardware….and have decided to use a minimum of three to four systems under pneumatic power!  The adult members also met with Campbell’s soup this week.  We are happy to report that their support is still with us!!!  This is great news!!!!

WEEKEND WORK SCHEDULE 1/25 & 1/26

Saturday, January 25
Work Session Beginning at 10AM until ???

Sunday, January 19
To Be Determined…working from 9AM to 3PM…we will let everyone know on Saturday!

SNACKS

We can always use more snack supplies!  Note to all parents / guardians:  If you are able to send snacks and drinks in, it would be much appreciated by our team members.  Particularly pre-packaged snacks such as chips, cookies, crackers, pretzels, etc…If each team member could bring in a case of water, that would be great!

UPCOMING PARENT MEETINGS

The next parent meeting will be on February 4 at 7:00PM in the Conference Center at the Gloucester Township Campus…

PARENTS AND FAMILIES INVITED!

As we stated, parents and families are always invited to attend our work sessions.  We are always looking for help…parents please feel free to attend and help out with building, food, safety, and anything else.  Saturdays are good day for parent help. 

Thank you all for your support as always.  Please feel free to contact us at anytime with any questions or clarifications!

Mr. Tony DePrince and Mr. Andy McAlpin, FIRST Advisors

LET’s GO  FIRST!!! GO ROCKY!  GO TEAM 203!!

Mr. Anthony DePrince
District Project Coordinator
Camden County Technical Schools
343 Berlin Cross Keys Road
Sicklerville, NJ 08081-4000
Phone: (856) 767-7000 x5419
Fax: (856) 767-3638
e-mail: tdeprince@ccts.net
web: www.ccts.info

FIRST ROBOTICS WEEK #2 Update

Hello Students , Parents, Guardians and Supporters/Friends of FIRST TEAM #203:

 

Believe it or not we are already wrapping up tomorrow Week #2 of our Build Season!!!!  Rocky the robot is on track and looking good! 

 

Welcome to our new parents, guardians and students!  This week we added a number of new students to our team!  Welcome to FIRST!!!

 

Please find below an information update:

 

ROBOT PROGRESS
We are making great progress on the robot.  The chassis is built, wheels and gear boxes are chosen and installed, and the basic driving program is deployed and functioning.  The shooting mechanism for the ball is prototyped and working well.  This weekend and coming week we will start to mount the shooter and begin prototyping the ball collection system.  We are very excited with our programming team this year.  They are working real hard to employ advance sensors and other data collection for the robot to be used in the autonomous and teleported modes.  As you can see, Rocky is coming together nicely.  All of our working groups are busy with graphics, safety, the website, chairmen’s award, design, and other areas!

 

WEEKEND WORK SCHEDULE 1/17, 1/18, 1/19, & 1/20

NO HOLIDAY BREAK FOR FIRST ROBOTICS TEAM #203 MEMBERS!!!  Here is this weekend’s schedule:

 

Friday January 17
Team Meeting During 4^th Period
Regular After School Work Session

 

Saturday, January 18
Work Session Beginning at 10AM until ???

 

Sunday, January 19
To Be Determined…Invitation Only

 

Monday, January 20 (MLK Holiday)
Work Session Beginning at 9AM until ???

 

SNACKS

Our snack cabinet is running low!  Note to all parents / guardians:  If you are able to send snacks and drinks in, it would be much appreciated by our team members.  Particularly pre-packaged snacks such as chips, cookies, crackers, pretzels, etc…as well as soda, water and juice!

 

FUNDRAISING

We are always looking for new sponsors.  If you know of any business or employers who may be interested in sponsoring our team at any level, please let Mr. DePrince know.  A letter can be sent or can be provided to you to give out.  This program is quite costly and it is only from sponsors and fund raising that we are able to do this amazing initiative.  Brenda Hager our booster chair will continue to talk and meet about the initiatives of our parent organization.

 

UPCOMING PARENT MEETINGS

There will be parent meetings for all parents and guardians on the following dates at 7:00PM in the Conference Center at the Gloucester Township Campus…

February 4

March 6

April 9

 

These meetings are very important to the team and our success.  Please make every effort to attend.

 

PARENTS AND FAMILIES INVITED!

Parents and families are always invited to attend our work sessions.  We are always looking for help…parents please feel free to attend and help out with building, food, safety, and anything else.  Saturdays are good day for parent help.  Even if you think you cant help…you always can!!! There is something for everyone!

 

SAVE THE DATE!!!

Please save the date for our currently scheduled competitions:

 

March 14 and 15 – Chestnut Hill Academy District Competition, Philadelphia, PA

March 22 and 23 – Lenape District Competition, Seneca High School, Tabernacle, NJ

 

More information regarding these competitions will be forthcoming!

 

 

Thank you all for your support as always.  Please feel free to contact us at anytime with any questions or clarifications!

 

Mr. Tony DePrince and Mr. Andy McAlpin, FIRST Advisors

 

LET’s GO  FIRST!!! GO ROCKY!  GO TEAM 203!!

FIRST Week #1

Hello Everyone:  FIRST PARENTS and STUDENTS!!!

Week one ends tomorrow!  That’s right…only 5 weeks to go to complete ROCKY 2014!!!  We are very close to the final design and hope to prototype tomorrow.  We will be making final chassis decisions tomorrow as well as our shooter.  The students all have been doing a great job on their committees and a lot of work is getting completed!!!!

Reminder – We are meeting everyday afterschool and on Saturdays as well.  Tomorrow, Saturday, we will be starting at 10:00AM!!!  So we hope to see everyone who can make it come out.   

Parents …  Any of you who want to bring snacks to be stored or served tomorrow are welcome  to bring them in!!!!!    

GO ROCKY!!!  GO TEAM #203!!!!  GO CCTS FIRST ROBOTICS!!!!

Mr. DePrince and Mr. McAlpin
Team Advisors