WOODBURY, MN (WNN) – The East Ridge High School robotics team is headed to the World Robotics Championship after qualifying at the recent regional competition in Tulsa. It’s the team’s eighth trip to the championship since 2009.
High school robotic teams from around the world will join the ERRORs (East Ridge Robotics Ominous Raptors) in Houston from April 17-19 for the competition. The event is hosted by FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), the world’s leading nonprofit advancing STEM education for youth.
“For robotics participants and fans, ‘World’s’ is the equivalent of the World Series, Stanley Cup, or Super Bowl,” said Pete Fox, ERRORs Booster Club President. He noted that the team is fundraising to cover the $33,000 cost for bus transportation, lodging, and event registration for the 38-member team.
The theme and challenge for this year’s competition, REEFSCAPE, was announced in January via a televised event watched by teams from around the globe. Nicknamed DivE.R.R., the robot’s challenge is to clean algae (rubber balls) off a coral reef and place PVC piping to rebuild the reef.
ERRORs team members have met in their shop lab at East Ridge High School Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday afternoons to design, build, and code their robot. The three volunteer coaches from the local community are Brian Howard, Matt Thomas, and Mikhail Kyraha.
Emily Fox joined the ERRORs as a freshman to learn about engineering. Today she is a senior preparing to study engineering at Purdue University in the fall. She has served on the pit crew for the past three years working to maintain the robot and standing ready to make necessary repairs if it becomes damaged during competitions.
“I love the sense of community that our team has,” she said. “We are all teaching and learning from each other and that makes it fun. Learning how to work together and problem solve is an important part of engineering that I’ll take with me.”
In addition to the competition, the World Competition will host a convention where engineers from major companies will be available to talk with students. Boeing, Disney, NASA, and John Deere are just a few of the represented firms.
“I’m especially excited about World’s as I will have the opportunity to connect with engineers from these companies and ask what I need to do to work in a specific field,” Fox added. Her dream job: working for Disney Imagineering.
You can support the ERRORs as they prepare to represent Woodbury at the Robotics World Championship. The East Ridge Robotics Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization. Tax deductible donations can be sent via Venmo to @frcERRORs3130 or mailed to PO Box 25641, Woodbury, MN 55125. Want more information? Contact them at: [email protected].
