2020 – 2021
Year Three
The 2020-2021 season was far from a normal year, as COVID-19 restricted us to online only during the winter and early spring months. However, once it was safe to do so, the team came back strong! We competed in the digital challenges with our robot built for the 2020 season “Infinite Recharge” sponsored by Lucasfilms. The aptly named “Darth Ziptie,” the construction of which was postponed after COVID-19 first affected Connecticut, managed to complete a rigorous set of obstacle courses and scoring challenges meant to supplement in-person competition.
In addition to the usual FIRST Robotics Competition robotics, we also competed in three rounds of the New England FIRST BAE Systems Romi-bot challenge. The challenge involved building our programming and joysticks skills with an 8 inch wide robot needed to navigate a course smaller than a living room table. With the expert driving of Julien, our teleoperated (non-computerized) runs placed second in round 3.
In terms of our 4-H duties and community support, the team did attend a drive-through 4-H fair and completed the public speaking competition. We hope to plan more community events in the future, when the team feels events with a large amount of people are safe.
In June of 2021, we moved to our new temporary location, courtesy of Tim Drakeley of Sand Dune LLC. Our first shop, graciously loaned by Braxton Manufacturing, in Hotchkissville, was bought by another party, and we will forever hold Mr. Ordway, President of Braxton manufacturing, in the highest regard as the team’s savior in our early formation. The actual move itself was strenuous, as our accumulated equipment was not easy to move. Alumni, friends, and current members and mentors alike came out to help load and transport everything we own. One mentor, Matt Hubbard, was crucial in the specialized transportation of our 1+ ton Bridgeport milling machine.
Student member Luther said, “It was a tough year, but it was fun and educational.”
– Jack
Saying goodbye and thank you
to Power Station II
Power Station II
Thank you to Tom Ordway, CEO, and Braxton Manufacturing Company for our shop space for three great years.
It was a place to learn skills, become teammates, meet challenges, and celebrate community.
We are so grateful for your support!
The team participated in the New England District’s FIRST BAE Systems Romi-bot Challenge, which involved our team building, programming and submitting the best time navigating a course against other teams in New England. We had to submit both autonomous and teleoperated runs with the robot. Student team member Julien had the second fastest time in the district in teleop for Team 2712.
Darth Ziptie
Sporting blue bumpers
Chris wires up Darth Ziptie
Sporting red bumpers
SEASON SCHEDULE
- August – September – weekly meetings: 4-H paperwork, discuss team goals and robot build, recruiting new members, possible events, and training planning, fudraising, food bank collection… adjusted for virus-related safety
- October – shop meetings with safety protocals: work on the robot, CAD, programming, welding, fundraisng ideas
- November – December – remote meetings, programming, FIRST challenges tbd
- December – February 14 – Fairfield County 4-H Ad Campaign
- January – remote online team meetings
- January 09, 2021 – KICKOFF
- February 6-7 – Fairfield County 4-H Public Presentation Day remote event
- March 4 – Judged Robot Awards submission
- April 8 – Skills Challenge submission
- April 19 – 23 Infinite Recharge At Home Challenge remote event
- May 3 – 7 – NE FIRST District Awards remote event
- June – Move shop to interim location
Power Station II
Our shop space, for three great years, thanks to sponsor
Braxton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
FRC and 4-H Update
The 2021 Season has started!
See below the unique challenges FIRST is offering FRC teams to continue the learning during these difficult times.
See which ones our team will tackle.
Also below read about honing our skills for 4-H Presentation Day.
Some Power Surge team members are meeting in small groups at the Power Station, masked and socially distanced, to be able to work on the robot. The rest of the team beams in remotely. Video conferencing has facilitated continued participation by all members.
2020 Summer Recap
Courtesy of the team’s intrepid Secretary, Jack.
Click the image on the right or the link below for a better view:
Senior Send-off, new team officers, 4-H awards…
Because in-person competitions are not yet possible, FIRST is offering several ways teams can participate in the 2021 season, no matter if the teams can meet in small groups or only remotely.
This year there are two options of particular interest to the team, the Skills Challenge and the Game Design Challenge.
The Infinite Recharge at Home Skills Challenge involves creating a playing field and then individually attempting rather difficult driving, programming, and shooting tasks. We film that event, and then proceed to score the event, and submit to FIRST for validation, and a position in a ~30 team leaderboard.
The Skills Challenge is the challenge we currently plan on completing. We will record our robot completing various tasks similar to competitions. We are considering filming at our shop for autonomous driving and remote control driving challenge subsections. We are currently investigating alternative locations with a higher ceiling of at least 10 feet for the challenge subsections in which we score power cells.
Lucasfilm and The Walt Disney Company continue collaborating with FIRST for the 2021 season: FIRST GAME CHANGERS, powered by Star Wars: Force for Change.
In the FRC program the 2021 season is a continuation of the 2020 game INFINITE RECHARGE, modified as a design and skills challenge that teams can participate in remotely. FIRST is still keeping open the possibility of in-person competitions should they become viable.
To discover more about FIRST GAME CHANGERS go to firstinspires.org/
To learn more about the Star Wars: Force for Change philanthropic program go to starwars.com/force-for-change
In deciding on the choice of challenges, team members had this to say of the current situation:
Of the regular season, Julian said, “I was excited to watch competitions and learn about how to build and operate robots.”
“I am slightly disappointed that traditional in-person competitions are not scheduled, but the chance to display our robot in the Skills Challenge is enticing, to say the least,” offered Jack.
Chris sums it up with, “I am excited to begin work on our robot this season and continue hands-on learning through trial and error.”
The Infinite Recharge at Home Skills Challenge will allow the team to complete the solutions to engineering designs on the robot that they began last season. It will also test their carpentry and video presentation skills!
The Game Design Challenge remains on the board as an additional option should circumstances or student interest warrent.
