What makes the robotics world go ‘round? Gears, servos, a bag of zip ties, and plenty of competitions of course!
This year, the clubs and organizations have added another contender to the list: The VEX Robotics Team, 3160X – Genesis. And although the team is not directly affiliated with Prestonwood, the team is made up of all Prestonwood students who plan to request to be affiliated with Prestonwood later this month to receive sponsorships for their newly started team.
Their first competition was at Wylie High School on Saturday, November 16th. It was very exciting for the team, as it was their first time getting to see how the events work, and what to expect for next time.
Junior Colton Mills said, “I’ve seen this team come together faster than I thought I would. Even though we had some issues at the competition, it was still relatively low stress.”
This year’s game is titled High Stakes. The objective is to place large colored rings onto stakes depending on your alliance color. And the time runs down to the final seconds, attempting to climb a 3-tiered, five-foot-tall tower. Doing all of this with a robot you and your team have built, coded, and now must control all on your own.
The team was very successful on Saturday, as the underdogs won 4th in the standard competition, and placed first in the elimination rounds. Genesis also won the judges award, which is solely off of the interviews the team has with judges in between rounds.
To get this award the team must display special attributes, such as exemplary effort or perseverance at the event. And during the team’s interview, they demonstrate effective communication and teamwork skills and an overall sense of professionalism. They stand out to Judge volunteers as being deserving of special recognition. Genesis was proud to have received their award through the mentorship of more experienced members to their teammates newer to the robotics world and for their perseverance from being a brand new team.
3160X Genesis has another competition coming up on December 14th at the Nancy Watten Technology and Event Center, and plans to compete at a state level competition on January 18th at Carroll High School in Southlake. They hope to see you there to support the team!
