Build the future: Robotics offers invaluable skills, opportunities

NORWALK — The place sounds like auto repair shop. Tools and parts are taken out and tossed back into drawers. Sounds of ratcheting and drilling metal are constant. Car mechanics aren't hard at work in the far back corner of Norwalk High School. Instead, students are standing next to an elevated, 12-feet square 'playing field' and getting ready for a soccer-style game among robots. Minutes later, those robots — with about 1,000 parts assembled by students — are rolling around the field as students use remote controllers. "Basically, it's a game where you try and score as many points as possible," senior Chase Fox said of robotics competitions. A key component, he noted, is "three other teams on this foam field that are trying to either help or stop you." "We're trying to win games. That's the basics of it. We build a robot to make it better for us to win," added senior Thomas Chime. The robots don't look like R2-D2 or C-3PO from "Star Wars" — nor do they look like K'Nex or Erector toy building sets. Weighing 12 to 15 lbs. each, they are complex assemblies of hundreds of metal and electrical parts, including wheels, steering mechanisms and antennas. Additional components can be added to make a robot throw or pick up a competition element called a "tri-ball" that looks like a small water buoy. With specific components, a robot can be directed to rumble over an object or lift itself up by grabbing a vertical pole or a crossbar. More than 6,000 high-school teams compete globally in VEX Robotics tournaments. Last month, three of Norwalk's eight teams qualified for the robotics world championships set for April 24-28 in Dallas, Texas. Twelve students finished among the top 200 in the world, with two ranked in the top 100. Altogether, 33 NHS students are participating in robotics this school year. Over the past 15 years, the program has grown from just one robot to almost three dozen kids with multiple robots competing among the top 832 high school teams around the globe. NERD (Norwalk Engineering and Robotics Department) Nation also includes 35 students at Main Street and Norwalk Middle schools. "This is the first year we had more than one team qualify — yet alone three. We've done a great job of growing our name," junior Sammi Chappell said. "Much like other schools, we started a bit smaller. We'd go to tournaments, and it was, 'oh, it's just Norwalk.' "Now, we've turned into a strong program. People want to (ally) with us." How does it work? After each VEX world championship tournament, the new game video for the following season is released. Two days later, the rulebook arrives. Design, programming and building robots then gets going in October. The NHS club meets three days a week after school. Robotics is also offered as an elective, although the competition side isn't nearly as extensive as the club, adviser and science teacher Nate Whaley noted. A standard robotics competition has three phases. The qualifying round randomly pairs teams with a partner for a two-on-two robot game. Matches are comprised of games chosen by computer draw and, after six games, players are ranked first through sixth. In the selection round, the No. 1 player chooses anyone in the competition as a partner, and the other players follow suit to create a 16-team traditional, single-elimination bracket. "These kids, during the qualification (round) are talking, strategizing and figuring out who their best possible partner is," Whaley said. "It's a social game within the game, with kids from our school and others." Teams then have six one-minute runs with their robot to try to secure the highest programming and drive scores. "It's about what you can do on the field, on your own," Whaley said. The tournament's third round features local experts, such as engineers and other professionals, who do the judging. Teams must document their processes for both building and competing with the robots. Those records — often illustrated and kept in a binder — are examined by the judges during interviews. "How well kids communicate and describe their ideas plays a big role," Whaley said. "From there, a series of awards are given on that section. So, each tournament has three parts, and its own unique feature." Chappell is in charge of documentation for Team 3264D "Dining Dinos." Her team — which is among the three competing in Dallas — includes Kaiden Moskus, Zade Oglesby and Jose Velasco. They placed 10th at the state tournament. "In order to be successful at this, you have to track your engineering and design process after the skills run," Chappell said. Chappell has been scribing ideas, variations and iterations of their two robots since the first day. The written record across the year is key, she noted. "This particular robot has gone through some tremendous changes just to keep up with the game," she added. What's ahead? Whaley, honored as Coach of the Year at the March 9 state tournament in Marion, described the world competition as "a different beast in itself" from typical regional contests. He is assisted by mathematics teacher Lindsay Webb. After the world competition's opening ceremonies at Dallas Convention Center, Whaley and Webb and the 12 NERD Nation competitors will get busy with practice rounds. Each division has eight qualifying rounds, with 832 teams parceled among 10 divisions. After practice matches, tournament-style competitions determine division champions. Those teams advance to face-off rounds for the world championships. "One unique aspect is these kids have to communicate with teams who don't speak English," Whaley said. "How to figure out communication brings out an extra level of competition." Also competing for NHS in Texas will be Team 3264C, also known as "How Did We Get Here?" — which includes Hudson Barnes, Chase Fox, Wyatt Fox, Aidan Roberts and Ike White. They placed second overall at the state contest. "Don't Tell Grayson" (Team 3264Z) with members Chime, Tyler Esbenshade and Grayson Kiser, placed seventh to advance to Texas. Last year, Chase Fox really wanted his team to get to the championships, but that didn't happen. "It seemed like the coolest thing ever," he said. "But it was all of our first years doing it, and we didn't have the experience or knowledge. "But this year, it feels like we really earned it after all the work we put in. It just feels like we've done more. Not just as the robot goes, but as a team goes, too." Going to the international competition is a "great chance to meet a lot of different people and see many 'cool' robots," Chime said. "There are a ton of interesting designs that you may not see in our entire state. It's a whole new level of competition — but it's also nice to just go on a trip." What are the benefits? As they work through the process, students discern where their talents lay in a hands-on way by assembling and programming the robots. A lot of problem-solving goes on, Whaley pointed out. For Chime, a key lesson is not getting stuck on a mistake — figure that out and move on. "You also learn a lot about teamwork and working with other people — especially people you don't know," he said. "At competitions you're not going to know who your teammates are. You learn people skills — and the engineering process on how to build better." Chase Fox said he's learned in the short-term to see the evolution of the robots that can be built. "This year, I am actually starting to understand the complexity and the work you have to put in to make something that does everything you require," he said. Chappell, a player on the NHS volleyball team that won the SBC Lake Division and a Division II district championship in October, said robotics is a positive change of pace from sports, and she's thinking about the possibility of becoming an engineer. "It's not nearly as competitive for me, and it allows me to use a different part of my mind," she said. "And I get to meet new people that I wouldn't have known without robotics." Long-term benefits of robotics include assembly and programming skills along with the networking. Some NERD alumni are employed in the area, so current students can talk with them and see what they do. "Over the long term, it really informs a base that makes them a very good citizen and employee as far as their experiences," Whaley said. Ultimately, Whaley hopes each student finds their niche in the robotics room. "Some of these kids, you wouldn't realize what they do when they get down here," he said. "We run the gamut of football and volleyball players, musical leads — all walks of students come down and 'nerd out' with us here." And in the end — the stress of competition, win or lose — playing and competing with robots is fun, Whaley said. Humor is an important part of the teams' work together, and that is often manifested in the NHS robotics room. "There's a fair amount of humor, definitely. It helps alleviate the stress, and they have a good time here," he added. The link to donate to help fund the trip to Dallas can be found here.