UPDATE Competition Week #1

And it begins….competition week #1

Student team members, parents, guardians, alumni, and other supporters of TEAM #203:

As we all know, we don’t start competing until week #3, but that doesn’t mean we are not scouting, researching, strategizing, building spare parts, practicing with the prototype and more….  All students should be watching the live streams online that are available of this competitions this weekend and next.  Go to the following website:  http://robotics.nasa.gov/events/2015_frcwebcasts.php  to be able to view webcast’s of this week’s competitions going on around the world. 

Some of our students will be traveling to Hatboro-Horsham today (SAT) to scout and observe Week #1 of the competition season. We are looking forward to seeing what this game looks like “in person.”  The rest of the students not on the leadership team may meet Mr. McAlpin today at 9AM to continue to work in the shop (see schedule below).

I think we all realize the importance of FIRST and its impact on our students, coaches, mentors, parents, family members, supporters, alumni and others in our school community and around the world.  We have seen through our 17 year history as a team the impact first hand.  But some people may ask, how relevant is building a robot within a certain time frame, weight and height constraints, and other parameters as an actual “real world” project?  Well it is!  It maybe just a toy to some, and a lot of fun, but there are real world parallels to project management, design constraints, budgets, etc. in the engineering world. 

Dave Lavery, NASA’s Program Executive for Solar System Exploration (isn’t that the best title in the world!), a huge part of FIRST for years, and a FIRST coach and mentor himself, explains how what he does at NASA correlates directly to FIRST Robotics.  He did so very eloquently at the FIRST National Championships last year in St. Louis.  We encourage all of you to take a look at this video of Dave’s speech last year to put this awesome program that our students’ benefit from in perspective.  Check out the video below:  

 

    

Here is this week’s updated information:

Work Schedule this weekend 2/28 and 3/1

Saturday 2/28 9AM - ?

Students who have been asked to report for the scouting mission to Hatboro, please meet Mr. DePrince and Mr. Kammler at the designated time.  All others able to work in the shop, meet Mr. McAlpin at 9AM

Sunday 2/22 

To Be Determined…look for further information

Weekday Work Schedule

We will be still working everyday after school.  All students are encouraged and asked to attend.

Mandatory Parent / Student Meeting

Thank you to all who attended the family meeting last week.  Please see Mr. DePrince for information that you missed if you did not make it.  A lot important info was covered…and many forms were handed out that are very important!

Parent / Family Boosters Raffle

As was discussed at the meeting last week, the boosters are doing a raffle that is on target to raise money for our program.  This is a very important fundraiser, and is being used to support the expenses of the program, each student is expected to sell a minimum of 10 tickets!!!  More tickets are available, and prizes will be awarded to the top student sellers!  Please see Mr. DePrince in school for more tickets or contact Denise Barr.  Also, Denise Barr will send out an e-mail with more information as needed about this fundraiser. 

National Championships

Please stay tuned in the coming days as we complete the selection process for invitations for the Nationals.  Students will be contacted directly and followed up with a letter to the families with details. 

Blog

We have some recent posts to the blog including pictures and video.  As a reminder, the blog address is http://cctsfirst.blogspot.com/. 

As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions!!!!

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

Mr. DePrince and Mr. McAlpin

FIRST Robotics Advisors / Coaches

WEEK ZERO!!!!!!!

Camden County Technical Schools and Campbell’s Soup Robotics TEAM #203 welcomes everyone to WEEK ZERO!!!!!!! 

Student team members, parents, guardians, alumni, and other supporters of TEAM #203:

Congratulations to you all!!!!  We have made it to Week ZERO!  Week Zero is the last week before Week #1 of the Competition Season….The competition season for FIRST internationally starts on Saturday, February 28 which is Week #1.  We begin to compete starting on Week #3!

Rocky the Robot 2015 is in the bag, literally!  This past Tuesday (STOP BUILD DAY!) several of our team members, volunteers and coaches made it in on a snow day and worked on the finishing touches for this year’s competition robot!  According to the rules, we have to place our robot in a bag and tag it on STOP BUILD DAY!   Through a lot of hard work and dedication of many, we met that hard deadline of getting Rocky in the bag by midnight this past Tuesday!  See the blog for photos.

Even though the official build season is over, we still have a lot of work to do to get ready for the competition season!  We have spare parts to make, drivers training with a prototype robot, and many other tasks to complete to get ready for the judged awards as well! 

Here is an update for this week:

Work Schedule this weekend 2/21 and 2/22

Saturday 2/21 9AM - ?

Students who have been asked to come in are to report only.  We will be having our drivers tryouts and training.  Other students will be working on our judged award submissions, safety program, and other projects.

Sunday 2/22  DAY OFF!!

This will be the first Sunday we have taken a day off since January 2!  Enjoy the day!!!!

Weekday Work Schedule

We will be still working everyday after school.  All students are encouraged and asked to attend.

Mandatory Parent / Student Meeting Monday 2/23 at 7:30PM

A letter was sent home to all families regarding a mandatory meeting this Monday at  7:30PM in the cafetorium in Building #4.  Please see attached the letter with details that was sent home for details.  We expect at least one parent/guardian along with the student team member to attend.  We are also asking for help to re-stock our water supply.  We would like each family to bring one case of bottled water with them to the meeting.  Important information will be shared at this meeting regarding competition details, parent booster issues, and other information.  We will also show everyone Rocky 2015!

Chairman’s Award

Congratulations to our student team members who worked so hard to submit our team for this major award.   Please check out our chairman’s award video on the blog which was only one part of the submission.

Shirt Orders

A large number of the team members still have not submitted their shirt orders.  We have attached the form to this e-mail.  All team members must have a shirt to be in uniform at the competitions!  Please bring this with you on Monday Night!!!  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!  If you need to make a payment arrangement for the shirts, just contact Mr. DePrince.  Every student, as indicated in the original letter, gets one shirt for free.

Blog

We have some recent posts to the blog including pictures and video.  As a reminder, the blog address is http://cctsfirst.blogspot.com/. 

As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions!!!!

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

Mr. DePrince and Mr. McAlpin

FIRST Robotics Advisors / Coaches

Chairman's Award Video

Check out our Chairman's Award Video submitted today as part of our submission for this major award.  Congratulations to our great committee and their leadership who are working very hard on this award!

STOP BUILD DAY

Rocky is in the Bag, Literally! 

Thank you to the students, volunteers and mentors who came in today on a snow to finish up Rocky 2015 and put him in the bag!  On stop build day, FIRST robots must be secured in a bagged and tagged by midnight.

Great job everyone!!

Rocky getting ready to be put in the bag!


Rocky in the Bag!!!

Autonomous Mode Testing 2/16/2015

Check out Rocky 2015 Autonomous Mode Testing from Monday, 2/16/2015.  Great job to our programing team!   Rocky now can drive itself! 

Week #6 Update

Hello Members, Parents, Guardians, Family Members, Supporters and Alumni of Team #203:

 

Getting it done!!!   GO TEAM #203!   As we enter the final week of the official build season, another thank you to all of you who have worked so hard 7 days a week, into late nights, and doing that extra effort!!!!

 

Here is our weekly updated important information!!! 

 

PARENT / FAMILY BOOSTERS

·         There will be a MANDATORY meeting of all parents and students on Monday, February 23 at 7:00PM.  We will be sending out a mailing early next week with further information.   But this will be a our 1^st Annual COMPETITION WEEK #ZERO – STOP BUILD PARTY!!!!!!!   ALL ARE WELCOME…STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION!!!!

ROBOT PROGRESS
WE ARE REAL CLOSE!  The final competition robot is under final construction, wiring and other modifications.  On Saturday we will be doing final testing!!!!

 

“ROBO-SCRIMMAGE”

This Sunday, select team leaders and other student members, along with the coaches, mentors and advisors, will be traveling to Warren, NJ to scrimmage with our new robot!   This is the first time we have done this.  We will post pictures, videos and updates via e-mail and on the blog on Sunday!!!!

 

PRESIDENTS DAY HOLIDAY WEEKEND WORK SCHEDULE 2/14, 2/15 & 2/16
(ALL WORK SESSIONS IN BUILDING #5)   NO HOLIDAY OFF FOR FIRST ROBOTICS!!!!!

 

Saturday, February 14^th  -   Rocky the Robot wishes everyone a Happy Valentines Day!!!!
Work Session Starting at 9AM until ?? 

 

Sunday, February 15^TH
NO WORK SESSION  -  STUDENTS AND MENTORS INVOLVED IN THE “ROBO-SCRIMMAGE” REPORT TO SCHOOL AT 6:30AM!!!

 

Monday, February 16^th   -   Happy Presidents Day!!!!
Work Session Starting at 9AM until ?? 

 

SHIRT ORDERS
A number of students still have not submitted their shirt order forms.  Mr. DePrince needs to place the shirt order to be able to get them in on time for the first competition!  Please contact him with any questions!!!!!    

 

BLOG

 

Check out the blog at http://cctsfirst.blogspot.com/  for the latest robot videos and pictures!  Click here for the blog website.

 

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!!

Magnolia Public School Visits for STEM Workshop

This past Saturday, gifted and talented students from Magnolia Public School visited CCTS and our FIRST program to learn about STEM and our robotics team.  Students participated in a workshop facilitated by CCTS Pre-Engineering Academy Instructor Alan Norton and FIRST Team leaders.  The students worked on an engineering problem solving project, learned about the CCTS Robotics program and got to shadow team members as they were working on Rocky 2015.

 

“Being able to visit the technical school, exploring the field of STEM and robotics by  participating in an actual engineering lesson has provided my 7^th and 8^th grade students an opportunity to get a head start in understanding their own potential,”  said Ralph Johnson, Principal at Magnolia Public School.  “The students of the FIRST team are fine examples to their younger counter parts by showing their enthusiasm about their career, school and team.”

One of the missions of the FIRST program nationally is to demonstrate that science, technology, and problem-solving are not only fun and rewarding, but are proven paths to successful careers.  The students of the CCTS FIRST team are taking  that message seriously by getting that word out the to the middle-schools in Camden County.  “Students need to get interested in STEM careers by solving problems at an early age,” stated Alan Norton, CCTS Pre-Engineering Academy Instructor.  “We need to show children that they can be the next great inventors and scientists by getting to them at an early age.”

 

Here are some pictures from their visit:

 

Mr. Norton, CCTS Pre-Engineering Academy Instructors works with the Magnolia students
on a engineering problem using VEX kits.

One of the FIRST Team Leaders and Pre-Enginnering Academy Junior
Cole B. works assists students with their project as Magnolia
Principal Ralph Johnson looks on.

Two of Magnolia's finest work on a pulley system with their VEX robot kits.

 

Rocky 2015 Final Prototype

Please check out the final prototype of Rocky 2015.  See video below:

Update #5

Hello Members, Parents, Guardians, Family Members, Supporters and Alumni of Team #203:

 

DOWN TO THE WIRE!!!!!  The students and everyone in the program have been doing a great job as we head into the home stretch!  What a great team effort!!!

 

Here is our weekly updated important information!!! 

 

PARENT / FAMILY BOOSTERS

·         Again, congratulations on a great fundraiser last week!  What a success!

·         The executive board is meeting this weekend to work on an upcoming schedule of fundraising activites.  Please look forward for more information from Denise in the coming future.

·         There will be an upcoming mandatory meeting for all parents and guardians during the week of  February 16^th.  Look for a separated correspondence with that date and time. 

ROBOT PROGRESS
Prototype is done.  The new chassis is being built and on track for completion this weekend!  Look for a video of the latest testing on the blog.

 

WEEKEND WORK SCHEDULE 2/7 & 2/8
(ALL WORK SESSIONS IN BUILDING #5)

 

Saturday, January February 7
Work Session Starting at 9AM until ??  We will be hosting some visitors tomorrow to tour our program and spread the word of our team!

 

Sunday, February 8 (TEAM LEADERS AND INVITED WORK CREW ONLY)
Work Session Starting at 9AM until ??

 

SHIRT ORDERS
You should have received the shirt order form in the mail this past week.   REMINDER SHIRT ORDER FORMS ARE DUE ON FEB 10!!!!  PLEASE BE SURE TO GET THESE BACK TO MR DEPRINCE!  ATTACHED IS A COPY YOU CAN PRINT OUT.  Students can bring them to Mr. DePrince on Saturday if they are able.   

 

BLOG

 

Check out the blog at http://cctsfirst.blogspot.com/  for the latest robot video!  Click here for the blog website.

 

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 Advisers

 

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

STEM Presentation at Berlin Community School

Sophomores and Juniors from CCTS FIRST Robotics presented on January 28 at the Berlin Community School about STEM and Robotics. 

Mr. DePrince, Mrs. Golt, and several FIRST students were invited to Berlin Community School to present about STEM Education Programs that CCTS provides and FIRST Robotics.  Students talked about the Pre-Engineering and Medical Arts Academies using the FIRST Robotics program as the vehicle.  The 7th and 8th grade students were very impressed with the presentation in addition to their teacher Mr. Hill.  Our FIRST students represented the school district very well.  Here are some pictures from the presentation:

Cole is talking about CCTS Pre-Engineering Academy.

Taryn doing a presentation about why she chose to comes to CCTS for the Medical Arts Academy.

Jonathan explaining how the robot is designed and built.

Designer Handbag Bingo is a Success!!!

Thank you to everyone who helped out and supported our first ever Designer Handbag Bingo a success.  Special thanks to our executive board members and other parents who worked so hard before, during and after the event!  You guys are amazing!  Here are some photos from the event:

 

 

Mr. Kay Volunteering as our MC and Bingo Caller!  Thank you and great job!

Mr. Kammler, Denise, and Pam manning the bonus card table!

10 designer handbags up for grabs!

Close to 300 people participating in the event!

Over 20 items up for the silent auction!!