Masuk Robotics Club is producing cutting-edge winners: 'I’m so proud of these kids'

Written by Karen Kovacs Dydzuhn
Friday, 20 January 2012 22:42

At the forefront of cutting-edge technology, a Masuk High School robotics team recently qualified to attend the Vex Robotics World Championship competition in April.

At a qualifying tournament in Manchester, Conn., the eight-member team, which calls itself So Vexy It Hurts, improved its previous score so that it is now ranked 10th in the world for programming skills. “We had a great day at the Manchester qualifying event,” said Bill McDonough, the team’s head coach and a Masuk teacher.

The three teams from Monroe that competed came in seventh, 14th, and 21st out of 33 teams. Two teams — So Vexy it Hurts, and Ranch or Cool Ranch — made it to the quarterfinals of the competition, and the third team, Mom and Pop Shop, made it to the semifinals, McDonough said.

This is the Masuk Robotics Club’s first full year participating in Vex Robotics competitions. After the Board of Education (BOE) approved forming the club, at the end of 2010, three robotics kits arrived at Masuk on Feb. 25, 2011.

McDonough remembers the date because less than a month later, the founding members of the Robotics Club participated in a state championship at Central Connecticut State University. “We lost in the final round,” McDonough said. “If we had won, we would have gone to the nationals. This was our first competition.”

Up to nine hours a week working on robots

Last fall, 60 Masuk students signed up for the Robotics Club. Assistant coach Mike Cercone, who teaches in the high school’s technology department along with McDonough, said 20 to 30 students regularly attend the meetings.

“We spend about nine hours a week, after school and at night, designing and constructing the robots,” McDonough said.

The club’s three teams must each design a software program and construct a physical robot from the given materials as part of “the challenge” by Vex Robotics.

Growing interest in technology

McDonough said the club evolved out of a growing interest in technology courses at Masuk. To better accommodate students’ schedules, and allow a greater number of interested young people to take the increasingly popular programming classes, half-year classes are offered.

After passing one prerequisite class, Computer Programming 1, students may register for Computer Programming II, Video Game Design and Robotics. McDonough hopes to soon add two other courses, Video Game Design II and Robotics II.

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“In the past I have had one class of programmers, with usually about 12 to 15 students,” he said. “This year, with the changes that were made, I started the year with 72 programming students.”

Everyone is invited to participate in the Robotics Club, even if they’re not enrolled in a technology course.

The teams work around students’ other extra-curricular activities. For example, two of this year’s robotics captains also are members of the high school’s cheerleading squad.

Using problem-solving skills

The Vex Robotics program teaches students to use higher order problem-solving skills, which is one of the key principles of the new STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program, McDonough said.

Designing, building, programming, and operating the robot is only one part of the process, though.

“When we attend a competition, the team must deal with the pressure of maintaining their robot throughout the competition, and something always breaks or does not work properly,” McDonough said. “The team must then use interpersonal and observational skills to assess their competition to determine which other team complements their robot and can help them win.

“Once this assessment is complete,” he said, “they must approach other teams and try to form alliances with them to create the best three-robot team they can to win the competition.”

Travel as a team

Caroline Grabowski, one of the Robotics Club’s four senior captains, along with Jake Cunninghame, Amber Deamico and Monika McCarter, would like to see the entire So Vexy It Hurts team travel together to the world championship in California.

Though Amber and Jake are trained as “drivers” for the team, and James Cumberbatch is responsible for its computer code, the other members play an important role in searching out the “alliances” with other teams.

This year’s Gateway Challenge winners are determined by the number of balls and barrels a robot can place in the goals. The match consists of a 20-second autonomous section when the robot must act alone, and a two-minute, driver-controlled segment.

“I’m so proud of these kids, especially given that we’ve basically been operating the club without any real budget,” said McDonough, noting they compete against clubs from high schools with budgets as high as $80,000 a year.

Funding challenges

Last winter, McDonough received approval and funding from the BOE to pay for the inaugural two robot kits, costing $1,000 each. A third robot was purchased this year. Robots are taken apart and re-used, but replacement parts and additional building materials, gears and motor kits are required.

All software programs written for the challenges must be registered and there is a $75 entry fee for one team and $25 for additional teams from each high school.

Though McDonough originally submitted a request for $5,000 to cover club expenses for the next school year, his proposed budget already has been reduced to $1,975. “I appreciate all that the Board of Ed has given to us,” he said. “I know that the money just isn’t there.”

The Robotics Club is planning fund-raisers so all of the So Vexy It Hurts team members can attend the world championship.

McDonough is hoping to attract long-term corporate sponsors to partner with the Masuk Robotics Club. He also is looking for adults with an interest in this emerging technology to mentor the club’s younger members. “I think it’s important that our kids learn to develop ways to relate to adults and communicate about technology,” McDonough said.

To make a donation to the Masuk Robotics Club, send a check to Bill McDonough, Robotics Club, Masuk High School, 1014 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe CT 06468. Call 203-452-5823, Ext. 7707, for mentor and sponsor information.