Tag Archives: Red Storm FIRST Robotics team

Kentwood schools’ Red Storm Robotics middle school teams shine at FIRST Tech Challenge

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  • FIRST Tech Challenge Kentwood qualifier middle school robotics competition was hosted by Kentwood Public Schools’ Red Storm Robotics program on Nov. 6. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The Red Storm Robotics middle school program’s Green team, getting some coaching. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The Red Storm Robotics middle school program included the Green team, awaiting the beginning of competition. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The Red Storm Robotics middle school program’s Green team, awaiting the start of competition. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
  • The Red Storm Robotics middle school program’s Green team’s robot, in action. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

The Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics program has long been known as  having a model high school program at East Kentwood High School, both its students and the robots they build.

The Gunter family are Red Storm Robotics from head to toe: Timothy Gunter III with parents Tim and Cui. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

And after a 2020 of virtual events due the pandemic, the East Kentwood team will be back before crowds this school year as it hosts the Kentwood FIRST Robotics competition, scheduled for April 1-2, 2022, with a many as 40 teams expected to compete in a “Rapid React” game challenge that will be announced in January.

But the success of the high school program begins with the steady stream of talent moving up from the its middle school ranks, talent already on display before a large crowd as Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program sent five teams against others schools at the FIRST Tech Challenge Kentwood qualifier, hosted by Red Storm Robotics, on Nov. 6.

Getting back to live competition “means everything to these kids, we haven’t been able to do this for two years … we are just so excited for this event today,” Trista VanderVoord, who works with the Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics program, said to WKTV at the event.

And for the students, the event was not only a chance to see and be seen by their family and friends, it was a chance to match up their robotic creations up against others schools and other robots inventions.

Kentwood middle schooler Giselle Triggs is part of the Red Storm Robotics middle school program’s Green team. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“It is really exciting to be able to see a bunch of these other robots,” said Giselle Triggs, a member of Kentwood’s Green Team and who is in her first year of being part of the Red Storm Robotics program.

“Everybody is really cool, and everybody is giving complements,” Christian Posthumus, a member if the Grey team, said. “The only problem is that there are so many people watching you … It’s just scary. If you mess up, everybody will see you mess up.”

The Kentwood teams did not “mess up” much at the FIRST Tech Challenge, however, as two of the five teams qualified for a state competition in December.

Two teams move on to state competition

In results of the competition, as detailed on the Red Storm Robotics Facebook page after the challenge, Red Storm Red team qualified for the state competition and earned the 2nd place Control Award, the 3rd place Think Award, and the 3rd place Inspire Award (Inspire is the highest award in FIRST Tech Challenge). Red Storm White team will be joining the Red Team, as the “Bot Tart” crew won the 2nd place Motivate Award and the Connect Award.

Kentwood student Christian Posthumus is part of the Red Storm Robotics middle school program. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

Additionally, the Red Storm Green team “had a fun first competition” as the all-rookie 6th and 7th grade team were decked out in magician capes, top hats and magic wands.

 

Red Storm Gray was another all-rookie 6th and 7th grade team, members of which shared their team spirit by distributing a dozen handmade shark awards to other teams throughout our competition.

The Red Storm Blue placed 12th in the qualifier and also received the Promote Award for their video submission on “If I could tell my younger self one thing about FIRST Robotics, it would be…” as well as winning the Motivate Award.

Goals of FIRST Tech Challenge

The FIRST Tech Challenge is a national program of FIRST Inspires where “students learn to think like engineers,” according to program material. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.

This year’s tech challenge, Freight Frenzy, is presented by Raytheon Technologies and had students race against time to transport “essential goods and explore the future of transportation,” according to supplied material.

For more informant on the First Inspires program visit firstinspires.org/robotics.

For more information on the Read Storm Robotics program visit redstormrobotics.com.

Kentwood schools’ Red Storm Robotics middle school program hosts FIRST Tech Challenge Nov. 6

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  • Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics was in competition in this 2018 photo. (Supplied)
  • Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program during a recent “scrimmage” preparing for this weekend’s competition. (Supplied)
  • Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program during a recent “scrimmage” preparing for this weekend’s competition. (Supplied)
  • Two members of the Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program. (Supplied)
  • Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program during a recent “scrimmage” preparing for this weekend’s competition. (Supplied)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

When it comes to getting young students engaged with robotics as part of their STEM technology education — including Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics program — it can’t wait for high school.

So Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program will send its teams, five of them, against others schools when it hosts the FIRST Tech Challenge Kentwood qualifier, hosted by Red Storm Robotics, on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The challenge will take place at the East Kentwood Freshman Campus, 6170 Valley Lane Dr. SE, and the public is invited to the free event. (There was no in-person challenge in 2020 due to the pandemic. There was a virtual challenge.)

“I’ve been impressed with the FIRST robotics programs,” Wendy Ljungren, Chief Operating Officer for Anzen Unmanned and one of the adult leader of Red Storm Robotics, said to WKTV. “The students that go through FIRST have the STEM and teamwork skills needed for our country to continue to advance.”

The FIRST Tech Challenge is a national program of FIRST Inspires where “students learn to think like engineers,” according to program material. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.

This year’s tech challenge, Freight Frenzy, is presented by Raytheon Technologies and will have students race against time to transport “essential goods and explore the future of transportation,” according to supplied material.

For more informant on the First Inspires program visit firstinspires.org/robotics.

For more information on the Read Storm Robotics program visit redstormrobotics.com.

Robots invade East Kentwood for annual competition

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

At the end of the week, the school bell may signal the start of the spring break for many, but hundreds of students and their families will be filling the East Kentwood gym for the fifth annual Kentwood District Robotics Competition.

About 40 teams are scheduled to compete at the FIRST Robotics event which is this Friday and Saturday. This includes host team East Kentwood’s Red Storm, Wyoming High School’s Demons, Potter House’s Tactical Hams, and the community team Code Red the Stray Dogs. 

“I love it,” said Kris Lima-Viana, from Potter House Tactical Hams about participating in FIRST Robotics. “It is like one of the best things I have ever done in my life. It is very, very intense.”

Top Dawgs: Code Red Robotics the Stray Dogs took home the prestigious Chairman’s Award at the 2018 event. This honor automatically qualified them for the state competition. (WKTV)

Started in 1992, FIRST Robotics is an international competition that is dedicated to inspiring the next generation of engineers and technologists through a robotics competition. FIRST stands for “For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.”

Each year, the challenge is revealed in January with teams having six weeks to building a robot that can accomplish specific tasks. This year’s challenge is Destination Deep Space with teams having to construct a robot that can put hatch panels on a “cargo ship” and fill them with cargo and then escape from the harsh planet Primus.

“I like to see the kids learning,” said Justin Van Etten, coach and mentor for the Wyoming High School Demons. “it is skills they don’t normally get in the classroom. They get machining knowledge. They get welding knowledge. They get knowledge of how to use a grinder and a saw. Stuff that academics does not normally teach you, and just being able to see them do something with their hands and show that they are good at a bunch of different stuff that is not classroom related.”

Color coordinated fans are ready to cheer on their team. (WKTV)

The program’s ultimate goal is to encourage students to purse science and technology careers by showing how everyone’s contributions not only build a robot, but a team.

“Robotics is really like a sport for anyone,” said Audrey Marsman, a member of the East Kentwood Red Storm. “You don’t have to just be interested in building a robot. There are a lot of things that are behind the scenes that aren’t just hands on on the robot that anyone can get involved.”

The free family event starts at 8 a.m. on Friday with matches taking place until 7 p.m. On Saturday, activities start at 8 a.m. with elimination round taking place in the afternoon. Awards are at 5 p.m. There are several different awards, including Chairman’s Award, which qualifies a team to automatically move on to the state competition. For more about the event, click here.


School News Network: East Kentwood’s robotics team earns award at Lakeview district competition

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East Kentwood High School’s Red Storm FIRST Robotics team earned the district Chairman’s Award at the recent Lakeview district competition. The prestigious award honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST, including hard work and dedication. The coveted award qualified the team for the state competition at Saginaw Valley State University.