Gearheads FIRST Robotics Competition Team 5745

The Gearheads Robotic Team, comprised of River Valley and Bridgman High Schools students, is a Rookie Team, i.e., this is our first year participating with the program. Team members are expanding their understanding and application of mathematics, science, engineering and technology as well as developing strategy, programming, problem-solving and communication skills.

Student Gearheads are working with adult mentors and our team mentor, Saint Joseph High School’s Average Joes, who competed in the World Championship Competition in 2014! In less than six weeks, we are designing, building and programming a robot created to play a game designed by FIRST®. As a Rookie Team, we launched our program on December 13 by attending a 12-hour workshop at Galesburg-Augusta High School, building and programming a robotic arm. On January 3, the game was announced at a nationally simulcast kickoff event. We joined the broadcast via the Mendel Center at Lake Michigan College, and then began our review of the game manual. On January 4, we traveled to Grand Valley State University for a Quick Build, where we assembled our basic chassis. Now we are working evenings and weekends through February 17 to complete our robot. Our initial competition will be at Kentwood on March 8.