High schoolers compete in Granite State robotics competition
34 high school teams from New England squared off in Windham
As a statewide robotics competition gets underway this weekend in Windham, dozens of teams from across New England are getting geared up.
High school students are putting their scientific skills and technological know-how to work in the Granite State District FIRST Robotics Competition.
34 high school teams from across New England brought their A-game to Windham High School Saturday, as well as robots they built themselves.
Brian Mailhot, a senior at Bedford High School, hopes his team “Red Storm” will come in first place, but has nothing but love for his fellow FIRST competitors.
“There's this huge array of people that come in that do all sorts of different things and during the different seasons of the year, but we all come together and build a robot. It's a really diverse and interesting group of people,” Mailhot said.
FIRST unveils a different robotics challenge each year. The 2016 theme is called "Stronghold" and requires that robots move through obstacles and throw balls into a target.
“It's a great program. I love the work that we do I love building a robot. It’s a lot of fun,” Mailhot said.
Teams had just six weeks to construct their robots before the district events. Master of Ceremonies David Price is in his 10th year hosting the event.
“So right now we're still early in the season, the robots are still in their early stages of working properly, but the event is absolutely amazing this year,” Price said.
Although Bedford inventor Dean Kamen launched the competition in 1989, this is the first time the Granite State District Event was held at Windham High School.
Windham High School Principal Bob Dawson is rooting for his school’s team, The Windham Windup.
“We've got 15 championship banners here hanging in our gym for athletics and I’ve got five out there for robotics. I’m just as proud of those five as I am for the 15 that we have for athletics,” Dawson said.
The winning team will be crowned Sunday and invited to the New England District Championship April 13th to 16th.
The winners of the regional contest will be one step closer to the World Championship in Saint Louis, MO. More than 20,000 students from 39 countries have entered in the competition.