Welcome to
Power Surge 4-H Robotics,
FIRST Robotics Competition
Team # 2712
Located on the campus of ACES at Chase
2023-2024 SEASON SCHEDULE
- Sept 8 – 10, 2023 – Bethlehem Fair
- Sept 14, 2023 – Aces at Chase Open House
- September – December – shop meetings with safety protocals, shop training, CAD, programming, robot design…; fundraising and recruiting events…
- Oct 1, 2023 – Presentation at the Big E
- Oct 20, 2023 – Spectate at an Electrathon competition
- Oct 28,2023 – 4H Fair
- January 06, 2024 – KICKOFF
- January – March 2024 – robot design, build, test, programming, build and program some more, test, practice, game strategy..
- February 2024 – Fairfield County 4-H Public Presentation Day
- March – April 2023 – Competitions: New England District Events, New England Disctict Championship, and National Championship
- stay tuned, more excitement and learning to come…
Go to THE CURRENT page to see our latest adventures!
Archived years are in the drop down menu.
Power Station ΙV
Our shop is located in the Innovation Rooms of St. Margaret’s Hall on the beautiful Chase campus
of the ACES at Chase public STEAM magnet school.
565 Chase Pkwy, Waterbury, CT, 06708
We are grateful to Karen Habegger, Principal of Aces at Chase, and her staff, faculty, and students,
for their hospitality and alliance in bringing 4-H and FIRST® opportunities to more area youth.
aces.org/schools-programs/magnet-schools/aces-at-chase/
ACES at Chase is a premier inter-district magnet school for grades 6-8
and a Project Lead the Way School of Distinction
Power Surge 4-H Robotics considers all students in
grades 8 through 12
for membership, from any school or home-schooled.
2023-2024 GAME
The future is yours to create!
FIRST® Robotics Competition teams (ages 14-18) will build and compete with a robot in a challenge that celebrates STEAM, science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Emphasis this season is on the Art part, using technology skills to “create experiences that bring us together.”
“…FIRST® IN SHOWSM presented by Qualcomm, we will celebrate the roles our STEM skills play in the arts and design and build a world of endless possibilities.“
Find out more at FirstInspires.org
BUILD SEASON Work
Team trying autonomous driving for the first time with this year’s fledgling robot!
Some of the build season tasks:
– thoroughly understanding the game structure, rules and the scoring
– design brainstorming, prototyping, testing
– drivetrain
– changeable bumpers sets
– arm and turret mechanicals build
– design layout of electronic amd pneumatic components
– mounting of electronics and pneumatics
– programming automnomous and teleop, calibrations
– CAD work for the gripper
– game piece manipulation
– design and build the portable driver’s station
– configure our pit area for storage and working on the robot on site, must adhere to venue specs and easy transportation
– testing, testing, testing iterations and making improvements
– driving, driving, driving
– learning, laughing, and the satisfaction of seeing something we created from nothing actually work the way we intended
We are honored to have the signature of Dr. Woodie Flowers (1943-2019). Dr. Flowers was “…Co-Chair of the FIRST Executive Advisory Board, Distinguished Advisor to FIRST, and Pappalardo Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.” (www.firstinspires.org/about/leadership/dr-woodie-flowers)
While he honored us with his signature on our robot, he considered it an honor to wear ours. By the end of each competition day his shirt was covered with the signatures of FIRST students.
Many of our team members over the years met and spoke with Dr. Flowers, and signed his shirts. His welcoming smile and inspiring messages will always be a part of the FIRST experience.
Hands-on learning
of engineering and programming skills, business and communication skills, shop safety and mentorship, happens at every team meeting.
FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION (FRC)
Each year the FRC challenge is revealed the first Saturday in January. New game, new field, new robots.
The clock counts down from that point on. Teams have about eight weeks until the first competition to design, prototype, build, test, and practice driving a robot they design to meet the challenge.
The robot build starts with a basic Kit of Parts (KOP) provided to each team. Within the constraints of the rules laid out in the Game Manual teams build upon the KOP to create their robot. There is planty of room for innovation, imagination, style, and skill. No two robots are alike.
Alliances of three robots versus three robots strive to complete multiple tasks to earn points. Offense, defense, strategy, operator skill, and teamwork, combined with the technical attributes of the robots, make for exciting and suspense filled matches.
Opponants one match may be allied in the next, so it is to all teams’ advantage to ensure all teams are the best they can be.
Gracious Professionalism and Coopertition are terms FIRST coined to describe the ethos of FIRST teams. Competitions provide goals to strive for while teams work together to ensure everyone succeeds.
Looking to Join a Robotics Team?
Students in Grade 8 to 12, Now is the time!
We are looking for enthusiastic students interested in Engineering, Computer Programming, Business Management, Mechanical, Electrical Design and more.
Power Surge 4-H Robotics Team is kicking off 2023-2024 Season.
Registration is open now!
email: powersurge4hr@gmail.com
The Innovation Rooms on the campus of ACES at Chase
565 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT 06708
FIRST Robotics Competition is the ultimate Sport for the Mind.
Under strict rules, limited time and resources, teams of students are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program industrial-size robots to play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors.
It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get.
Each season ends with an exciting FIRST Championship.
Last year we competed against 180+ Teams from all over New England.
Our Goal is to place 1st.
WISH LIST
Please consider donating any of these items, or the means to purchase them. Having the right tools helps the students learn and the team compete!
email: powersurge4hr@gmail.com
- Welding cart
- Drill Press – free standing, upright
- small CNC Machine
- Allen Wrench sets (mainly need 5/32)
- Ratchet Wrench set
- Metal Break
- GoPro Camera for robot
- Office furniture (large table and chairs, computer desk)
- Lumber (2 x 4 ‘s; 1/2″ and 3/4″ plywood)
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
PLATINUM
GOLD
Henry Eng
Hogan Eng
SILVER
Lavaway Family
MONETARY DONATIONS
Make checks payable to:
Power Surge 4-H Robotics / CT 4-H Foundation
P O Box 2
Woodbury, CT 06798
A receipt will be mailed to you for your tax deductible donation.
Please discuss donations of tools and materials in advance with head engineering mentor,
Hogan Eng, 860-798-3717
GIVING
The team is run by volunteers and funded entirely by donations.
We are grateful for your support!
Power Surge 4-H Robotics is a registered 501(c)(3) organization.
BECOME A CORPORATE SPONSOR
Help train your future workforce!
Put your name on the robot!
email: powersurge4hr@gmail.com