|
2010
DES MOINES, WASHINGTON - Skunkworks Robotics' CAD team submitted their model, renders and documentation for the Autodesk 3D Design Competition back in February. Today our team was announced as one of the six finalists selected by professional judges. To view the finalists, see the Autodesk website.
DES MOINES, WASHINGTON - Waterland Blog article "Aviation High’s Robotics Team Wins Award At Robot Competition" about Skunkworks at the 2010 Microsoft Seattle Regional.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - Skunkworks Robotics had a tremendous showing with 63 other teams from around the country and beyond at Key Arena in Seattle. Coopertition(TM) is a term created by FIRST that means not only competing but assisting and enabling others when you can. For Team 1983 Skunkworks Robotics in Seattle, this meant competing hard with our robot on the field while at the same time helping other teams in the pits and the whole team assisting throughout the event itself.
AHS Skunkworks received the Chairman’s Award at the 2010 Microsoft Seattle Regional, the highest award presented at a regional. On the field, their robot, Pelè Le Pew, performed well.
Team 3049, Team Knights, from Bremerton, Washington chose Team 1983, Skunkworks Robotics, and 2660, Pengbots, from Tulalip, Washington to be part of their championship alliance. After four matches, the alliance was eliminated in the quarter finals.
For more information on the Microsoft Seattle Regional, please view our 2010 Seattle Page
PORTLAND, OREGON - The Skunks competed against 60 other teams in Portland, Oregon at the FIRST Autodesk Oregon Regional. The Skunks ended up in the semi-finals because of their amazing alliance, team 8, The Vikings, and team 2046, Bear Metal. Skunkworks formed a new friendship quickly with team 8, and worked together with 2046 wonderfully. We were very proud of our alliance teams! Our Skunks performed well on and off the field!
The Skunks were awarded the Kleiner Perkins Coalfield & Byers Entrepreneurship Award, the Website Award, and the Underwriters Laboratories Industrial Safety Award! We look forward to our next regional, and congratulate the Oregon Regional winners, Team 997, The Spartans, Team 1515, MorTorq, and Team 2130, Alpha+!
For more information on the Autodesk Oregon Regional, please view our 2010 Portland Page
REDMOND, WASHINGTON - Our two VEX teams competed in Redmond, Washington for a title at the VEX State Competition. The teams experienced many software and hardware difficulties. One of our teams was picked as an alliance for another team, however they graciously declined because of robot troubles. However, they experienced the heat and excitement of competition! They are now prototyping new designs for the next VEX competition.
KENT, WASHINGTON - Five team members, along with a few students from
FRC team 2046, Bear Metal, traveled to the Boeing
Kent Space Center to help employees celebrate Boeing
Engineering Week. The skunks goal was to familiarize
Boeing employees with FIRST and to recruit
mentors. The skunks presented the 2009 robot, the
Stench, and even taught some employees how to to
drive the robot. Skunkworks was happy to help celebrate
Boeing Engineering Week, while spreading the message
of FIRST.
For more information on Boeing, please visit the Boeing
Web site.
For more information on FRC Team 2046, please visit Bear
Metal's web site.
MOUNT LAKE TERRACE, WASHINGTON - The Skunks eagerly traveled
to Mount Lake Terrace High School, to the FRC game
reveal and build season, hosted by FRC Team 1778.
All of our team got up bright and early to view
the seven o'clock game reveal and were very surprised
and excited for the 2010 FRC Game, BreakAway.
However, we put our brainstorming on hold in order
to assist rookie and "sophomore" teams with building
kit bots. Our team members helped many Washington
rookie and sophomore teams understand the basics
of their robot.
2009
DES MOINES, WASHINGTON - Skunkworks hosted the Des Moines
FLL Competition at Aviation High School. Team members
volunteered to oversee the pit area, set up the
field, run teams to and from interviews, and two
of our alumni judged at the event. We had a great
time interacting with the students and encouraged
them to continue participating in FIRST.
We hope to someday see the students compete on
or with, or even against, our team in the future.
DES MOINES, WASHINGTON - Rolls-Royce has awarded Griffin
Nichol, Skunkworks team member, with a jet engine fan blade which is proudly displayed in the AHS office. Along with the beautiful fan blade, $5,000 was donated to the school scholarship
fund. In describing why Rolls-Royce decided
to donate this prestigious gift, a Rolls Royce representative said, "Primarily it
represents Rolls-Royce to us. It is really about
our key technology, where we invest, and this is
where we see synergy in terms of the high school.
It's about the investment in technology, the realization
of the importance of technology to the high school,
and innovative ideas. That's what we have really
noticed, and is very evident in this school." Rolls-Royce will
make this an annual award. We are very proud of Griffin for his amazing award!
For more information on the award, read the article
courtesy of the school newspaper, Phoenix
Flyer.
BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON - Skunkworks Robotics two VEX
teams competed in the VEX Jumpstart tournament
in Bellevue. We were able to advance into the qualifying
tournament, but did not make it to the semi-finals.
The game was called “Clean Sweep” and
was played on a 12’ by 12’ field. The
scoring system works by getting small, medium,
or large balls into specified goals or on the opposing
team’s field.
TUKWILA, WASHINGTON - Skunkworks team members gave
a presentation at the Museum of Flight to the AIAA, American
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
a STEM organization that promotes aerospace and
engineering. Our skunks presented to a large group
of professionals, representing Aviation High School
and Skunkworks Robotics. We presented our team's
organization layout and the story behind our robots.
Platt Electric Supply, a major
sponsor for FIRST, asked Skunkworks to
join them during a demo for FIRST sponsors.
The team was asked to represent FIRST teams
and spread the word about competitions, and possibly
acquire more sponsorship. By doing this, not only
were more companies made aware of FIRST and
its impact, but our students were able to interact
with professionals in the STEM community. Two students,
our coach, and the Stench presented to vendors
every 12 minutes, spreading the vision and mission
of FIRST and our team. Skunkworks is grateful
for the privilege of being the only team to represent FIRST,
and thanks Platt Electric Supply for the opportunity.
DES MOINES, WASHINGTON - Our team raised money for our
season by putting on a Spaghetti Dinner with an
exciting Dessert Auction. We also had other special
items available to bid on like our world famous
yard work extravaganza, team photos, robotic team
shirts and a raffle to win a scenic flight around
Puget Sound. Always a wonderful event! See photos here.
DES MOINES, WASHINGTON - We had over 250 students,
mentors and parents from all over the state come
to AHS to listen to Robotics-related seminars and
play a little with robots. Thanks to our students
and families who put on the event. We plan to do
this again!
DES MOINES, WASHINGTON - Charles Rose, General Counsel
for the United States Department of Education (ED)
visited Aviation High School (AHS) on October 14
representing Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Arne
says it only takes five to ten minutes to get a
sense of a school. I can tell already — this
is a top-level school,” said Rose. “This
is the kind of school that we should be shining
the light on at the federal level. I’m not
aware of any other in the country doing what you’re
doing here. I’m struck by the innovation.” Eighteen
AHS students participated in a “listening
session” with Rose and his teams from ED.
Federal education officials are conducting listening
sessions around the nation to learn about successful
schools and programs. Rose asked how AHS had successfully
attracted low-income and ethnically diverse students.
One aviation professional who mentors an AHS student
responded, “By engaging mentors from business
and industry, it doesn’t matter the size
of the parents’ bank accounts, all kids have
opportunities here — and mentors connect
the learning to real jobs.”
|
