“I think it's important to introduce students to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at an early age in hopes of sparking their curiosity and the potential to find something they may be passionate about exploring,” said Caroline Webb, a mechanical engineer in ERDC’s Information Technology Lab (ITL) who credits an experience she had in high school for influencing her to pursue a career in STEM.
More than two decades ago, a robotics team was founded for the students at Warren Central High School. ERDC has been involved since the year 2000 by hosting the team and promoting hands-on learning for local students. Today, with a mission to provide educational experiences for more young people, Team 456 Siege Robotics is a community FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team that is made up of 20 students from across central Mississippi.
Team 456 Siege Robotics has proven to be more than just a positive after-school activity. Many students – like Webb – continue to use the skillsets first developed in robotics in their daily careers.
“Not only did I get a jump start on developing and putting key engineering concepts into practice, which would later be reinforced through higher education, but I also learned teamwork, leadership, communication, and project planning skills that are useful in my project work today,” said Webb.
As evidenced by people like Webb, FIRST is a proven pipeline for future ERDC development. Many local FIRST Robotics team members carry on and pursue degrees in STEM and return home to pursue their careers at ERDC. In fact, several other FRC team alumni are currently working in the Environmental Laboratory, the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory and the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory.
The letters in FIRST stand for First Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, which explains why the organization was founded – to promote STEM to youth across the globe in over 110 countries.
FIRST is divided into three programs: FIRST Lego League (FLL) for grades K-8, FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) for grades 7-12, and FRC for pre-college aged students.
Last year, the FLL team at Bovina Elementary – the Bovina Brainiacs – made history as the first Vicksburg FLL team to win the state championship, besting 24 other teams from around the state. They also became the first Vicksburg FLL team to qualify and represent Mississippi at the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston, Texas, where they competed against 160 other FLL teams from around the world. The Bovina Brainiacs will be heading back to the FIRST Robotics World Championships again this year.
At the beginning of the school year, FIRST unveils a new theme and presents each of the three programs with a different game. The students are challenged to build and program a robot to perform tasks in the game for their competitions. The theme this year is centered around ocean conservation
“This year, FRC students will create a robot to play a game called “Reefscape” competing with their alliance, consisting of three robots and drive teams, against an opposing alliance to score points in a 2.5-minute match,” said Webb. “Alliance teams work together to score game pieces, “coral” (PVC pipe sections) and “algae” (playground balls), during the autonomous and driver-operated periods of the match. Towards the end of the match, the robots climb and grab onto a swinging cage for additional points before time runs out. The alliance that earns the most points wins the match.”
The FRC team has spent hours working together to build a strong robot that can perform well during competitive games against other teams.
“We have several new and young students this year. I am proud of how much they have learned in just a few short weeks,” said Webb who serves as a mentor for the team. “They have been working hard to finish testing their mechanisms and preparing for competition.”
In March, the FRC Team 456 won the Magnolia Regional in Laurel, Mississippi, and will join FLL Team, the Bovina Brainiacs, at the FIRST Robotics World Championship Event for all three programs in mid-April. In the meantime, Team 456 will still compete at their second regional event, The Bayou Regional in Kenner, Louisiana, the first week of April.
Webb explained that an extracurricular activity like FIRST Robotics is a major benefit for the community because it provides students with an opportunity to “Go Pro” – meaning everyone has the potential to enter the STEM field professionally.
“ERDC’s role in hosting FIRST Robotics teams fosters future workforce development and grows the recruitment pipeline for local students through future internships and possible full-time hires,” Webb added.
If you know a student who would like to apply for ERDC’s FRC team and begin their adventure in STEM, visit www.siegerobotics.org. Junior-high and high-school students are encouraged to get involved at the beginning of the off-season this summer. The new season for the elementary students begins in the fall.