Garrett County’s FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams, G-FORCE and Techni Clovers, sponsored by GEARS and 4-H, won the Maryland FTC State Championship held at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory this past weekend. Both teams were finalists for various awards, with G-FORCE bringing home the Inspire Award and Techno Clovers receiving the PTC Design Award. The teams together, along with a team from Washington, D.C., won the Winning Alliance Award.
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Both teams have worked since September learning engineering design, fabrication, and testing concepts, and winning these awards advances both teams to the FIRST FTC National Championships to be held in St. Louis, Mo.
The Inspire Award is given to the team that the judges felt truly embodies the "challenge" of the FTC program. The team that receives this award has performed well in all judging categories and was chosen by the judges as a model FIRST Tech Challenge team. The judges use match performance, observations made during interviews and in the pit area, the team’s Engineering Notebook, and performance on the playing field in determining the winner.
The intent of the PTC Design Award earned by the Techno Clovers is to expand the challenge, inspiring teams to incorporate industrial design into their robots. These elements can be shown in the simplicity of the design as it applies to the tasks, the look and feel of the robot, and how the design allows one to think of robots in new ways. The design aspect must serve a function – but should also differentiate the robot in a unique fashion – not an easy task with a limited set of parts and game challenge.
G-FORCE was a finalist for the PTC Design Award, as well as the Think Award, which is given to the team that the judges feel best understands the role of the engineering notebook in the design process. Both teams were the top two finalists for the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award, which is given to the team that the judges feel has the most innovative and creative robot design solution to the FTC challenge to any or all specific field elements or components. Elements of this award include elegant design, robustness, and out-of-the-box thinking with regard to design.
Coach Arlene Lantz was also a finalist for the Compass Award, which recognizes an adult coach or mentor who has provided outstanding guidance and support for an FTC team throughout the year. The winner of the Compass Award is determined from candidates nominated by FTC team members, via a 40- to 60-second video submission, highlighting how the team's mentor has helped them become an outstanding team.
The teams hold weekly practices at Garrett Engineering And Robotics Society (GEARS) in McHenry, with the coaches there to supervise and guide the students. The students take the lead role in building and running their award-winning robots.
"During the season, I learned so many things, from design work to running power machines to teamwork and communication skills," stated Southern High School sophomore Alex Miske, who is new to the
G-FORCE team this year. "A highlight for the season was having the chance to be on the drive team. We went undefeated at our first qualifier, and then I also got to drive at this competition. Being a part of this team has really changed my life and has set me on the path to an engineering career."
More here.
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