Build Season Has Begun!
The months of January through March are very busy for our
Mercy Robotics team the TechTigers. Twenty-five Mercy High School students comprise one of only two all-girl robotics teams in New England competing in the FIRST Robotics competition each year. These months are particularly important as it
is the period in which they build their robot which is to compete at the FIRST
regional and state competitions.
Business Team
The
theme for this year is a bit Medieval entitled: FIRST STRONGHOLD.
Announced and explained by founders Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers, teams
are to build a robot which can overcome obstacles (as if attacking a castle
tower!) and toss a soccer sized ball (boulders) to conquer the opponents castle! The robot must be able to pick up a ball, aim and toss the
ball, crawl over obstacles and even climb the tower! You can see the kick off video here: Kick Off
In the kick-off video, Dean Kamen, one of the founders of
First Robotics, sees his organization as “more than robots”. His goal for the competition is to turn
students on to science and technology, helping them see that it is fun,
accessible and something they can build careers around. He encourages students to “learn how to
learn” as well as “learn how to change”.
He believes that students will need to develop three or four skill sets
in their career lifetimes so that they will never become obsolete.
Woodie Flowers, also a founder of First Robotics, speaks
in this video of “gracious professionalism” which is also an emphasis in the
FIRST competition. Students are
encouraged to “compete in ways that make their grandmothers proud”. Our Mercy TechTigers have won awards in the
area of “gracious professionalism” as they make efforts to be helpful to other
teams they are competing with. Mr.
Flowers also encourages students to be creative in the use of the information
they are learning in classes.
The Mercy TechTigers would not be able to
accomplish all that they have without the support of faculty moderators, Mr.
Tom Oeschger and Mrs. Buff Bachenheimer and numerous mentors who volunteer their
time to assist in the building of the Mercy robot. Many sponsors are also needed to help pay for
the materials which go into the robot itself.
Check out the TechTiger website for their “wish list” of items needed! TechTigers Website
Programming Team
Lauren Gasior, one of the Mercy TechTiger team officers, is very excited
about this year’s theme and competition.
Lauren is a programmer on the team and believes the TechTigers have
developed a good strategy for a successful competition season. February 23rd is “Bag and Tag” day
where all direct work on the robot must stop so the pressure is on! They will compete the weekend of March 5th and 6th in Waterbury, CT.
Building Team
Library Club Skype
On December 4th, members of the Mercy Library Club skyped
with students from Mount St. Mary Academy, a Sisters of Mercy sponsored high
school in Watchung, NJ, for a book discussion.
Students shared their impressions and insights on the book Me Before
You by Jo Jo Moyes Thank you to
Mercy Library Media Specialist, Mrs. Jennifer Crutchfield who arranged for the
event. What a great way to meet other
Mercy students!
Upcoming Events:
February 3 – Poetry Out Loud School Finalists
competition. 6:00 pm in the Mercy
Auditorium.
February 6 - SAT Prep Course begins: Click her for course
registration: SAT Prep Registration
February 6 - SAT Prep Course begins: Click her for course
registration: SAT Prep Registration
February 12 – Sophomore Student/Parent Breakfast – 7:00
a.m.
Mercy Cafeteria
February 15 & 16 – President’s Holiday – No School
February 24 – 28 – Astronomy Club trip to Arizona - Watch
for reports from Arizona as students travel to key
sites and meet with Bro. Guy Consolmagno, SJ of
the Vatican Observatory.
