GIRARD - The Girard High School Robotics team, team 379, the RoboCats, has just completed a very successful season, qualifying for the finals at all three regional competitions and bringing home four trophies and a finalist medal.
The team first competed at the Pittsburgh Regional, held in March at the University of Pittsburgh. The RoboCats were the number 15 team going into finals and moved through quarterfinals and semifinals, loosing in the third match of the final rounds to an alliance which included Warren G. Harding's team, Delphi E.L.I.T.E. In addition to placing second and receiving the finalist trophy and medals, the RoboCats were also awarded the Excellence in Engineering Award which recognizes the quality of the robot design and the team's following of the engineering process.
The team also competed at the Buckeye Regional, held at Cleveland's Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University. Here the RoboCats were part of the number 4 alliance in finals, but were eliminated during quarterfinals. The team also won the Entrepreneurship Award, which recognizes the team's business plan and student management, and the Motorola Quality Award in recognition of robot quality.
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The 2011-12 Girard RoboCats robotics team. Photo special to Page One
Finally, the team competed in Cincinnati at the Queen City Regional held at Xavier University where they were quarterfinalist and the number 8 team gong into finals.
While the competition season is over, the RoboCats will continue to work year round. On May 12 the RoboCats will be helping with the Special Olympics at Arrowhead Stadium where they will handle team and volunteer registration and assist with opening ceremonies. They will also assist with a Senior Day luncheon at the Girard Multi-Generational Center and give a robot demonstration on May 15. On May 18 they can be found helping the Girard-Liberty Rotary with parking at the Relay for Life.
In June they will have a 7 day camp to build team unity and spirit and train new members and prepare for the next season. They also have a team trip to NASA in Cleveland and Cedar Point planned for the summer as well as a picnic with other North East Ohio Robotics Alliance (NEOFRA) teams. The RoboCats will also assist with summer camp at the OH WOW Science Museum in Youngstown this summer.
Summer also brings fundraisers for the RoboCats including the July 21 golf outing at the Mahoning Country Club. Interested golfers can call (330) 545-5431, ext. 202 to register.
The RoboCats will also participate in at least one off-season competition this summer in Columbus and another in the fall in Rochester.
Applications will be taken for new members from April 30-May 10 and a parent/team meeting will be held for all members on May 24 at Girard High School.
For more information, call Judy Barber, team advisor, at the high school phone number above.