Greybots return to world championship after Ventura win
The Greybots team after their victory in Ventura which enabled them to attend the FIRST World Championship.
Atascadero student robotics team head to world competition for sixth consecutive year
–The Atascadero High School Greybots will head to the world championships this week after securing a win at the FIRST Ventura Regional competition on Mar. 26, 2016. The Greybots, a team of 19 robotics students, 12 college students and adult mentors, will be attending the World Championship in St. Louis for an unprecedented sixth consecutive year.
The Greybots will attend the event alongside two other teams The Beach Bots from Hermosa Beach and Circuit of Life from Ventura who also secured themselves a spot at the world championships, the event is hosted by the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) organization.
Greybots Coordinator Jan Price said the FIRST challenge this year is “FIRST Stronghold” where the robot, “Avalanche” had to cross a wide variety of defense game pieces and score a foam ball into a medieval castle. “To successfully perform the tasks of this particular game required an extremely robust robot,” she said. “Greybots were up to the challenge as evidence of the victory in Ventura…In addition, the team received the ‘Quality Award’ which celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication.”
Price said that attending the championship is a great honor, but the costs of getting the entire team are hefty. “The registration fee is $5,000 together with flights, lodging, shipping and other expenses will run the team an additional $20,000,” she said. “The Greybots need additional financial assistance to support this team which will be representing San Luis Obispo County at an event which will include the top High School teams from around the country and at least a dozen other countries… the Greybots believe they have an outstanding robot this year and have high hopes for performing well at this highly competitive event.”
The Greybots, an independent program founded in 2002 by Atascadero High School’s physics teacher, John Miron, and a small group of high school students, has become increasingly successful. This year’s team consists of 15 students from Atascadero High School, two from San Luis Obispo High School, one from the San Luis Obispo Classical Academy and one from Santa Lucia Middle School, reports say.
The Greybots aim to encourage science, technology, engineering, and math education by creating a hands-on, project-based, educational environment for students. The Greybots are seeking tax deductible contributions to “Atascadero Education Foundation” if you would like to make a contribution send it to PO Box 642, Atascadero, 93423 or a tax deductible credit card donation can also be made on the website www.greybots.com by using the PayPal button.
