Robotics at Collingwood is a class for those in Grades 10-12 and is sponsored by Mr. Rogers, Mrs. Chu, Mr. Chan, and Ms. Gleicher (who has a behind-the-scenes role). There are approximately 55 students involved in robotics—Robocavs—and they are split into teams of three to five students. Currently, there are 16 teams. Although there aren’t any student leaders for the Robocavs, there is typically one person from each team who displays leadership and takes that role. Additionally, those who are experienced often guide newer members.
Last year, the 9594A team went to the VEX Robotics World Championship (Worlds) in Houston, Texas. Worlds is where 3000 of the best international teams gather to celebrate their achievement and compete for the title of champion. To participate in Worlds, a team has to either qualify through a signature event or provincials, which is why participating is such an accomplishment!
Generally, the tournaments Robotics participates in are local and hosted by various schools in the North Shore. However, in February this year, the Robocavs got the opportunity to travel to Calgary, Alberta and compete in Mecha Mayhem, a competition with about 120 middle and high school teams. This allowed them to experience an elite event!
Robocavs at Mecha Mayhem
9594M’s robot on display at Mecha Mayhem
Many Robocavs find that participating in Robotics allows them to improve their ability to work collaboratively with others, who may have different perspectives, and also enhance their technical skills such as coding, electronics, and mechanical design. Josiah Ong, a Grade 11 student, says that his “favourite part of robotics is being able to conceive ideas and follow through by bringing them into reality, especially when there’s a goal to win a game against other teams from other schools.”