“Robotics to me means making something from nothing, and creating a challenge to build something new. It teaches you team building and valuable personal skills,” Robotics facilitator and Fossil Ridge High School senior Emily Monaldi said about her experience in the club. Monaldi’s job as facilitator is to be a fresh set of eyes and offer ideas to the group on construction and design.

The Robotics Club is a group of students who design, build and test robots to bring to the FIRST (For Inspiration Recognition Science and Technology) Robotics Competition (FRC) in January.  ‘FRC releases a challenge to schools across the nationwide and the students build the desired creation to the best of their ability. It’s a three-day competition with a six-week build season. The teams are rated on a score system and the score determines if the team makes it to the final round. During its first year, the Robotics Club was named Top Student Rookie which means they were the top first year competitors. Last year, the club made it to finals, but was eliminated in the first round.

“My favorite thing about robotics is the immense amounts of different activities we get to do,” team captain Ryan Harty said.

Harty’s job during preseason is to make sure everything is functioning like it should and the team is on schedule. During the six-week build season, he leads the team.

“A robot is anything that can do the work of a human. Its automation, motion and creation,” Robotics Club adviser Mr. Shawnsburg said. The club is split into two groups, the FRC team and the Legos Mind Storms team. The FRC team works toward the challenge set by the FRC, whereas the Lego team designs and builds creations from Legos.

This year, members have new aspects to add to the club. There are new challenges and new tools like a plasma cutter and a plasma table that will allow them to work faster and more efficiently. The robotics club meets Wednesdays after school and is thinking about adding lunch meetings. “I think we’ll do well this year,” Monaldi said. “We have a track record for preforming well, and we’re off to a good start.”