Centre Dufferin District High School students to compete in ‘World of Robotics’

February 19, 2014 · 0 Comments

What do a bunch of Center Dufferin District High School students know about Robotics? As it turns out, quite a lot! Stereotypically the general consensus regarding Shelburne as farming community never makes the leap into understanding that a farmer’s mind must be equipped to cope with many of the same aspects technological minds face every day. In that light, it’s no wonder the offspring of brilliant, successful farmers could easily make the transition from repairing a plow to manufacturing a mechanical arm for a robot.

The FIRST Robotics Canada Waterloo Regional Competition offer a robotic competition where students with a wide skill set and varying interests can work together as a team, producing a winning robot and that is exactly what the first Robotics Club at CDDHS are working hard to accomplish. This year’s challenge: create a robot who will be a team member in the challenge of throwing and or pushing a huge ball through designated goal areas. Two robot teams compete against each other until eventually there is a winning team. Beginning January 4th, this first timer team called, Royal Redneck Robotics Club or ‘RRR’ (as in the roar of the school’s tiger mascot) had only six weeks to create and fabricate their robot named Cletus, before the completion date of March 20th.

With the help of mentors from other teachers on staff, Len Guchardie, David Langman, Pauline Lloyd, Doug Steele, KTH’s Andrew Gee, Adem Nezirevic, and Steve Smith, Shelburne’s brightest have a great chance to become a force to be reckoned with during their first robotic competition.

Under the careful watch of CDDHS teacher’s, Mike DeLaat, Teacher of Mathematics, and Head of Tech Department, Peter Jensen, the group of twenty dedicated students have been working night and day to complete their creation within the time limit.

The Club did receive a one- time grant of $9000 but as the registration fee is $6000, the one concern for DeLaat is funding as he fears there will not be enough money to stretch to next year.

“The registration is expensive because FIRST Robotics send a kit where just about everything you need to build your robot is included. Computer parts and technology is expensive but so are hotel accommodations for twenty kids for three days. If only we could have some sort of ongoing sponsorship to ease the financial burden,” commented DeLaat hopefully.

A future worth investing in, the RRRC has already made a ton of progress. Each student use their varying skill set and diverse interests to make up this project, mimicking the real world as one student is the accountant, another lead programmer, another, head engineer, another, head fabricator just to name a few of the titles.

If anyone thinks Shelburne, the farming community, is not harvesting minds that will cross stereotypes, progressively, head welder and head engineer are girls! In fact it was a girl who brought the robotics competition to CDDHS’ attention. Toni Head-Schraa, a 17 year old in Grade 12 had competed in FIRST Robotic competitions in the past and approached Delaat with the idea that sparked a club that never looked back.

With community support and ongoing commitment to our youth, Shelburne will continue to grow providing much needed professional opportunities for future generations.

That being said, the community of Shelburne has faith in our youth and even as first time competitors the Royal Redneck Robotics Club ‘explore new worlds, boldly go where no man has gone before, ’(old Star Trek reference) and this reporter is fairly certain, their message to us, “You’re gonna hear me RRRRoar!”

For more information regarding the FIRST Robotics Competition, visit www.firstroboticscanada.org and to see what the robotic challenge is all about go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxp4dkMQ1Vo If you would like to become a much needed sponsor or make a donation, please email michael.delaat@ugdsb.on.ca or call CDDHS at 519-925-3843.

Good luck young Shelburne students! We’re already proud!

By Alex Sher