Fox Valley Robotics kicks off its 20th season of robotics for kids
Registration is open for Fox Valley Robotics and Batavia Robotics' 20th season with new robotics challenges for kids in first through 12th grades.
The LegoWolves Division for first- and third-graders will take on communities in the new challenge "Cargo Connect."
These young kids will work with Lego pieces to construct a robotics model which relates to their current challenge which involves exploring the world of transporting cargo from one place to another.
The kids will culminate their season in February in an event which celebrates their hard work and fun they had displaying their robotic models and poster boards.
The fourth-eighth grade LegoDogs Division will be working on FIRST's "Cargo Connect." Kids will use teamwork and imagination to solve problems involving cargo and how it is transported, sorted, and delivered to destinations.
Limited only by their imaginations these teams will try to provide direction for a better future for everyone. In the "Cargo Connect Challenge," teams will build, test, and program an autonomous robot using Lego Mindstorms to solve a set of missions as well as research, develop, and share their innovative "cargo" solutions.
In the 8th-12th grade Coyotes Division, there are two different competitions that the kids can participate. The Vex Tipping Point is played on a 12- by 12-foot square field. Two alliances - one "red" and one "blue" - composed of two teams each, compete in matches consisting of a 15-second autonomous period followed by 105 seconds of driver-controlled play. The object of the game is to attain a higher score than the opposing alliance by stacking rings in movable goals and positioning these goals on teeter-totter platforms. The other challenge for the Coyotes Division will be presented from FIRST, released in early September.
The goals of the above programs are to have the kids "think beyond the box" and to have fun. The programs allow the kids to go beyond simple box instructions and to formulate the why and how on their own with guidance from instructors and mentors.
"Creativity and ingenuity has no limits when it comes to robotics and what these kids can learn and accomplish," says Dee Karabowicz, a mechanical engineer and one of the lead instructors for the organization. "Imagination is their only limitation."
Informational meetings for those wanting more details or interested in joining are scheduled for Friday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 21 ,at 3 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 29, at 1 p.m. at Rotolo Middle School, 1501 S. Raddant, Batavia. Enter at doors N11. The organization hosts events October through February with 30-60 teams attending in different robotic challenges.
The Fox Valley Robotics and Batavia Robotics group is celebrating their 20th year of robotics for kids. Batavia Robotics has been around since 2002, and adopted the name Fox Valley Robotics in 2007.
As a nonprofit, multi-community based organization, they are recognized by many schools and school districts in the area for their quality programs and provide kids through-out the year the ability to explore the world of robotics with a variety of programs.
Registration is now open. For more information, visit www.foxvalleyrobotics.com.