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Watertown High School
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Team 237 Build Week 1 Archive
We experimented with deploying the ball. We have not used pneumatics in a while, so we did some quick and dirty tests. The setup was able to move the ball up a 45 degree ramp approx 3 feet. That is more than enough. We want a controlled landing. We don't want to punch the ball off the field.
The weather does not look good for Monday. If there is no school, then there is no build. We can afford to lose days to the weather. Having enough days is a concern for me. When we need to work weekends, we may have to pay for janitorial coverage, so the more less we miss, the better.
We need to get another fundraiser going. We have a ziti dinner in March. We need something to go along with that. Fundraising is always on the mind. You can never have enough money. We have paid out approx $16000 already. This program is not cheap, but is worth every penny.
We hade chicken and noodles tonight. Very good. One of the best teambuilding things we do, is to eat togethher during build. A different parent cooks every night. It is important that we become close. Soon the tensions will rise to the surface and we will need all the good will we have stored up.
01/10/08 We revisit the drive train question. The important thing is that we get the concept right. The time that we take now will serve us in the long run.
It's almost the end of the first week and no metal has been cut. For us that is right on schedule, but it always feels like we are behind. We think like mad, then build like mad. We'll get done, but it gets the heart pumping. Three of our recent grads have been with us for the first week of build. They will be going back to college and they will be missed. The students appreciate the experience the grads bring to build.
We are starting to make travel arrangements. Our trips are coming up soon. The Connecticut regional is March 13th to 15th. The Philadelphia regional is March 27th to 29th. Atlanta is April 16th to 20th. We always charter a bus to Hartford. It's expensive, but every year it snows and school buses will not run in the snow. Philadelphia will be a charter also. A four hour ride I hope. We will fly to Atlanta. The team from Wolcott is taking a bus to Atlanta. Can you see us on a bus with those kids for that amount of time?
The students grades are beginning to worry me. Every year the grades dip at the beginning of build. I have three students in trouble with their grades. We talk to them and their parents about what we can do as a group to help them bring the grades up. This is an area where I need a teacher to be involved. I do not bring teacher skills to the team. The students need someone with those skills to guide them. I bring what parent skills I have to running the team. Not the ideal method.
Pizza from Mario's yummmm
01/09/08 The vote is in, we will be lifting that ball to great heights, at least 6-1/2' and beyond. Even though we have been playing with the ball for a few days, the size still amazes me. The students think that this is an easy task, but it is not.
The ball rolls like crazy. Do we cradle it or try and grip it from the side? The ball measures 40" in diameter and weighs approx 10 lbs. What do you do with it when it gets up there? It's going to be interesting.
My job on the team is to make sure everyone has what they need to do their jobs. I am the enabler. I have a great group of parent volunteers to help me out. This team is run by the parents group. We are incorporated as a 501(c)(3) and operate as a separate entity from the school system. To the school we are a club. To the team we are a family. This is an incredibly close knit group. We are entering our 10th season. I have parents of students from year 1 helping out. One of my engineers has been with the team all 10 years, the other two engineers are in their 7th season.
Lasagna, meatballs and salad for dinner. yummmm
01/08/08 Now that everyone has had a chance to sleep on yesterdays discussion, There are many questions. Lots of interesting ideas. I believe that they are slowly coming around to understanding how complex this game will be. The students will be voting tomorrow on what we will be doing.
Being a mentor on a FIRST team is an unique experience. We have a group of kids that thrive on playing this game. The excitement that these students have is contagious. I watch these kids start out as freshman and blossom into students that can actually think a problem through to a solution.
It seems to me that the freshman get younger and younger each year. I have a bad habit that has turned into an inside joke. I have difficulty remembering the freshman's names. I have no problem with the upperclassman. I have taken to yelling "FRESHMAN" when I need to get their attention. It's great having freshman on the team. They are so full of amazement at seeing where we are going with the robot.
The change in the students from freshman to sophomore is a huge change. This program really focuses the students. We have a 90% return rate. That speaks volumes for the program.
Lasagna, meatballs and salad for dinner. yummmmmm
01/07/08 The first night of build is a very interesting night. Everybody has an idea what the robot should do. The first night of discussion is limited to how we want to play the game. We list out the scoring possibilities and run a few scenarios. We then vote on what direction the robot design will take.
01/06/08 We had a great crowd for our kickoff luncheon. Lots of food. Lots of new faces.
We had the game animation playing in the corner. Watching the animation multiple times prompted many of interesting observations. This is a very complex game. It can be played on many levels. What are we going to do? The team will meet starting tomorrow. We try and eliminate the discussion to two days, then we vote.
Observations:
The game piece is very interesting. It is a 40" diameter exercise ball covered in slippery fabric. It weight approx 10 lbs. I believe this is the heaviest game piece that FIRST has ever used. How do you pick this ball up and control it. There is a bonus of 12 points if you can place the ball back on your rack.
The robot will have to be very robust to withstand the punishment it will get on the track. They have made bumpers mandatory this year. This will be not be a game for a light robot.
I believe this is a very rookie friendly game. A robot that only makes laps will be a valuable alliance partner.
Carll Pallokat came to the luncheon and had some tips for the team and their parents. Pal started this team 10 seasons ago. Pal retired after teaching for 40 years and is still involved in the program as our senior mentor and as an inspector at the Connecticut regional.
01/05/08 Kickoff day. I have never seen so many people at kickoff. Crowd estimate at least twice last years crowd.
Lots of excitement in the air. No one knows or is speculating what the game is. The venue is a gym with a TV set one one and and the field shrouded on the other end.
They get us in early so Rudy Giuliani could speak to the crowd before the web cast. He rode in on a Segway and then forgot what the name of the machine was. He kept referring to it as "This Machine I rode in on...". Not the way to win this crowd over.
They finally revel the game. "Overdrive" is this years challenge. The game animation can be viewed here.
The game, at first glance is a road race with robots scoring every time they complete a circuit.
The bonus points come by using the 40" diameter colored balls. You can either push the balls around the track, or have them pass over your bar. Any of your balls on your rack count big at the end of the match. More detail will follow.
After the presentation, the crowd get to go out onto the field and interact with all the elements. It is an amazing to listen to the free flow of ideas. The GDC is out on the field answering any and all questions.
This is a very exciting game. It makes my head hurt. There is lots Team 237 can do with this game.
01/04/08 The beginning of the serious stuff. We are going to kickoff in New Hampshire. Todays activities include a reception at Dean Kamens house and an after party where many of the friends I have made in this program will be. The community of FIRST mentors is very tight. There are many paths that are taken in this program, but we all end up at the same destination. It is amazing to see so many people working toward a common goal, changing the culture and pointing the youth toward making a better world through working together.
The GDC (Game Design Committee) has released three game hints this year.
The speculation surrounding the game hints is very entertaining. My thanks to chiefdelphi.com for providing an open forum for the community to use. The game hint discussions this year have over 1400 posts. This is a community that talks and shares with each other. It's a very special place.