Collegiate robotics team members gather to watch the livestream.
Rules and design plans for the 2017 season are broadcast.
Greg Sesny, Upper School physics teacher and one of the robotics team coaches, watches the broadcast with his family.
Collegiate robotics team members got into costume.
Robotics team members dive into the competition rules.
Robotics team members watched from their respective homes and participated in an online forum.

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Collegiate School Robotics Team Kicks Off New Season

1/7/2017

Despite a winter snowstorm that canceled the on-campus kickoff for the official start to the 2017 FIRST Robotics competition today, Collegiate School’s robotics team viewed the unveiling of this year’s design plans and rules via livestream from their respective homes, then traded building ideas in an online forum moderated by their faculty coaches.

A livestream broadcast from FIRST Robotics was made available to high school robotics team across the nation to watch at 10:30 a.m. EST — in preparation for this season’s competition, themed “Steamworks.” (FIRST is an acronym that means “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.”)

Collegiate’s team, which will meet after school and on Saturdays, has until Feb. 21, “Stop Build Day,” to design and build their creation. Regional competitions begin in March and lead up to the FIRST Robotics World Championship in April.

Last year, Collegiate fielded a robotics team for the first time since 2007. The newly revamped team, TORCH 5804, performed well beyond expectations as it earned a host of accolades, including the High Ranking Rookie Award, and competed in the world championship in St. Louis, Missouri. The team is coached by Daniel Bartels, STEAM coordinator for the Middle and Upper Schools, and Greg Sesny, Upper School physics teacher.

The current team, which grew from 25 to 45 members, has high hopes for this season as well.

“We are expecting to at least go to the regional championship,” said 11th Grader and robotics team member Sean McHugh. “And I see us having a solid chance of going to world's again.”

For more information about the 2017 FIRST Robotics competition, check out the blog.

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