Upstate Fembot Robotics Team Preparing to Defend State Title

Some high school students from the Upstate are taking the science world by storm by making robots that can play ball, and they are preparing to defend a state title.

"We trying to get this pipe secured to our frame, our chassis,” says Wren High School Senior Carolyn Lennon is ready to defend the Anderson Districts 1 and 2 Career and Technology Center title. At last year's state robotics competition, the all girls team, The Fembots, took top honors.

Fembot Courtney Olinsky says, "It’s kind of hard trying to do as good as we did last year.” The quest this year is to get your robot free some plastic balls from a tube by pushing on an arm release, collecting them and propel them into a net, platform or bucket. Fembot Lennon says,"At first it's overwhelming, but after a while you start breaking it down to the mechanics of it and figure out angles, and it's not so bad.” This math and science minded mechanical masters have another mission - competitors who must be eliminated. "All the boys...cuz, their, their just boys and you know,” Olinsky says laughing.

In the 2008 event, the fierce females earned the inspiration award, for their community involvement and sportsmanship; but the boys beat them in a final match. The men expect a repeat performance, says male-team member Robert Sequerth. "Our robot has been running and scoring, and we're on our second prototype now, and they have yet to finish theirs," says Sequerth. “That’s all they get. That’s all they get.”

Despite the rivalry, the teams trade tips and swept the State competition last year. The final four were all from the Anderson Career and Technology Center. Lennon says, "It's really cool to see all the young children get interested in something I’m really passionate about, because it's a little different that you are making in your own community."

The 2009 competition is at South Carolina State December 4th, 2009. You can read more about the Fembots and the event in Saturday’s Anderson Independent Mail.

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From SC State:

SC State Prepares for the 5th Annual FIRST Tech Robotics Competition:

“Hot Shot”

Orangeburg, S.C.-More than 50 high school teams from across the state of South Carolina will design, build and program robots during the 5th annual FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Competition on Friday, Dec. 4-Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Smith-Hammond-Middleton (SHM) Memorial Center located on the campus of SC State University.

Sponsored by the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Organization, the S.C. Department of Education and SC State’s James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center, the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Competition allows high school students the ability to apply real-world math and science concepts and develop problem-solving, creativity, organizational and team-building skills while building their own competing robot. “SC State continues to host one of the largest FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Competitions in the nation,” said Lamar Tisdale, technology transfer and training coordinator at SC State. “Our excitement continues to grow as we make preparations for this year’s event, which has grown to a two-day event as a result of its success,” he continued.

SC State has served as host for the robotics competition for the past five years, to include the 3rd annual FIRST Vex Challenge, the largest in the nation, which consisted of over 600 students and comprised of 63 teams from high schools across South Carolina.

Teams will be randomly paired into alliances of either red or blue, with robotic drivers conducting their robots across the playing fields, picking up softballs and taking them to “goals” located in the corners and on the sides of the field.

At the conclusion of the event, each team will receive a plaque. Winners will receive a trophy and go on to compete in the National Championship Tournament at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga. The national robotics competition is part of FIRST, a non-profit organization dedicated to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.

The 2008 winners were the Fembots from the Anderson Career Center in Anderson, S.C.

The ‘Fembots’

The Fembots, who started constructing their robot in late September 2008, returned for the 2nd year to participate in the competition. Senior high school student and member of the Fembots, Carolyn Lennon, looks forward to coming to SC State each year to participate in the annual robotics competition.

“I enjoy the robotics competition because it gives us an opportunity to design things from the area of engineering and teaches us strategies we can use in the real world,” said Lennon.

Additionally, in 2008 the group started a girls’ camp, ‘Gateway Academy,’ which encourages young girls to learn about the areas of science and technology.

Will the Fembots remain the undefeated champions of the FIRST Tech Challenge or will another team take the championship? Join SC State for the 5th annual FIRST Tech Challenge to find out!

For more information contact Lamar Tisdale, technology transfer and training coordinator, at 803-516-4532 or ltisdale@scsu.edu. You may also contact Ashley Elliott, assistant public relations director, at 803-533-3802 or aelliott@scsu.edu.