Author Archives: Olivier

Walk for Aidan

Today, we were asked by the Interlake ASB and Sammamish Robotics team if we would bring our robot to their Walk For Aidan event on Saturday the 16th for a ‘robot race’.

We will thus be needing volunteers from our team to help at the event. Jobs could include robot monitoring/maintenance or running items, on top of what Sammamish wants us to do.

The event will run that day from 10-2, so we will want volunteers showing up around nine. I understand that it would be a lot to ask of you guys to stay the entire time, so perhaps we can break it into shifts:

Shift 1: 9-11 (setup)
Shift 2: 11-1 (event work, important for anyone managing the robot to be here, obviously)
Shift 3: 1-3 (break down and clean up, money counting)

This event can help us build alliances with a number of neighboring schools, spread the word about our team, and even earn brownie points towards a chairman’s award. Therefore it is important that as many of us as possible be there to support our team. So everyone try to at least show up for one of these shifts!

One caveat: volunteers do have to pay $10 admission to the event (wearing an Aidan shirt gets you in for 5). However, all proceeds are going to charity, and you get a shirt out of it. Plus, you are doing so to support everyone’s favorite robotics team!

Send Amanda an email if you can go! We really need volunteers!
(Quoted from OpenGoo Note)

End of the year Picnic!

Hi everybody!

The end of the year Picnic will be held at Crossroads Park (check back for more details) on June 13th from 7PM to 9PM. These are approximate times, but we will need people to be there at around 6:30 to 9:30 to help set up and break down. See the OpenGoo note for specific details on what is needed.

This event will basically sum up our year together, and don’t forget, this event is also made for your parents and family members! This event will be a kind of potluck so everybody should try to bring some food (we will have specifics later, but eg: chips, buns, hot dog meat things, condiments, cookies, salads etc…)

This will be a super fun event so we hope everybody can come! Don’t forget to write it on your calendar then highlight it with a red sharpy!

Robotics Meeting Cancellation (AP/IB)

Hi all,

Due to AP and IB exams during the following three weeks, we have decided to cancel the main Robotics Meetings on Wednesdays for the next three weeks (no meeting on 29th, 6th and 13th). That way, that will let everybody have the time to study for their tests and be completely prepared. Also, some Vex members will leave for their competition on the 29th, so wish them luck!

I think most of the members are taking the AP world test, so good luck on the 15th!

We will resume the meetings the following week, and since we won’t have any more tests, we will have to work very fast and efficiently in order to get the robot finished or upgraded, get the sticker fundraiser underway, finish all paperwork for sponsors by the end of May, start contacting companies for sponsorship during June, and start organizing a carwash fundraiser in June and all thoughout the summer :)

Good luck to all team members!

Mandatory Reorganization Wednesday Meeting

Hey Everybody!

The Wednesday after vacation will most likely be one of the most important dates after the competition season. This is the day when we annouce next year’s officers!! Also, this year’s leadership has decided to completely reorganize the whole system and restructure the hierarchy. There will be just as many officers, but at the same time a lot more leadership opportunities for YOU!

I will let the suspense build up until wednesday on who is the CHOSEN ONE(s). If you do know, don’t spill the beans, just for fun. So make sure you come because if you don’t you will be missing out on being part of the leaders for next year. If your parents aren’t letting you, just tell them that the leaders have “titles” and that it’s for your own good and that it will get you into a good college (or something like that). Just make sure you come!

Year Overview and Postmortem

Hi Everybody,

So the end of the build season and competition has arrived. Even though the final result was not what we expected, we were still a great team and we have improved a lot compared to last year. We have made significant improvements in terms of communication, membership, dedication, engineering, organization, spirit and much much more. This year was a great year and we should all be proud of our hard work.

However, like in all things, we can still improve a great deal. This is why every year, we have an event called the Postmortem. This means that we will all sit down and have an organized discussion (and we will try to keep the digression to a minimum) where we will go over the whole year. What went well? What did not? What should we improve on? What can we do to be more interactive with other teams? Be more recognized in FIRST? You get the general idea. This is also a time when we go over the organization of the club. Next year’s leaders will NOT be announced at that time, but we will discuss possible position openings and how the organization is possibly going to work next year.

We will also discuss future plan of action. We will go over what we will do in the next three-four months before we leave for summer vacation, and most of all, what you the members would like to do more of in Robotics. What would you like to learn? Do? Do you have any specific projects you would like to work at? etc…

We will also try to take another team picture because not everybody was at the competition and also because we could not get a hold of some people at the competition itself. So put on your team t-shirts if you have them. If you don’t we can hand the out on Wednesday or maybe a bit earlier too.

Thanks for participating this year, and we will see you on Wednesday! Please try to come for this is one of the most important meetings we will have before next year.

FORMS DUE!

All of the forms to attend the competition are due by Wednesday before the competition (march 25th)!!!

You must fill out the: prearranged absence form for IHS and the FIRST conscent form. If you are planning on getting a ride to the competition from another parent, please fill the parent driver form.

Also, respond to this thread if you will be driving people to the competition, or if you will be driven by someone other than your parents. -Hugo

Parent Meeting – Very Important

Hi guys,

To help in the planning for the field trip, and to make sure everyone is on the same page, we will be having a parent meeting on Tuesday March 10th from 7PM to 7:30 PM. The meeting will take place in Mr.Cooney’s room, number 1808. All parents and team members are invited and are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to attend. We will discuss hotels, what the competition is, what we need from the students and also from the parents in order to go to the competition.

You should all have received a form at the meeting on Wednesday which also includes the agenda of the competition. If you did not receive it, please go to Mr. Cooney and ask him for it.

See you at the meeting! And bring your parents please

Meeting on Monday

Hey everybody!

On Monday, there will be a meeting and everybody is welcome to attend. Topic to be discussed are: Hotels, Vex, fundraisers to cover for vex, stuff to bring to the competition and a possible parent meeting that will be happening. Bring ALL your ideas!

Final Build Weekend Meeting

We will be finishing the robot and testing it on Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM at the STI lab. This is the final build weekend until NEXT YEAR, so try to make it. Bring $5 for lunch and snacks, and if you can bring food from Costco or anything, please do.

Final Build Weekend Meeting

We will be meeting on Monday and completely finishing the robot. This is the ultimate last day to build it and test it. Please try to come and this is your last opportunity to participate in the build season. Bring $5 to pay for lunch and snacks.