The K. White Jr. HS MetalHawks robotics team competed recently at the RGV First Tech Challenge (FTC) Championship. This event consisted of 48 of the best FTC teams from across the Rio Grande Valley as they competed for limited advancement slots outside to the FTC State Championship. The MetalHawks had three teams competing in the RGV championship, Alpha- 13521, Bravo-13522, and Delta-15644. Team Delta will now move on to the state regional competition and the MetalHawks also brought home several awards.
In FIRST Tech Challenge teams (up to 15 team members, grades 7-12) are challenged to design, build, program, and operate robots to compete in a head-to-head challenge in an alliance format. Guided by adult coaches and mentors, students develop STEM skills and practice engineering principles while realizing the value of hard work, innovation, and working as a team.
The MetalHawks began their robotics season by excelling in two of the toughest divisions, Tesla and Curie, in the Rio Grande Valley.
As the season progressed, the teams established themselves as stand out competitors in the robot game of this season’s challenge known as Rover Ruckus. These teams reached the RGV FTC Championship by performing exceptionally well within their divisions. Team Alpha-13521 won the Inspire Award which is given to a team that “embodies the ‘challenge’ of the FIRST Tech Challenge program” and is a “strong ambassador for FIRST programs and a role model FIRST team.” The FIRST organization goes on to explain that this award is given to teams that are top contenders for many other judged awards, celebrating the strongest qualities of the other awards and adequately demonstrates ‘gracious professionalism’ on and off the field.
Additionally, team Bravo-13522 won the Think Award for the Curie Division. The Think Award recognizes teams that adequately documented the process of planning, designing, prototyping, and building their robot as well as their team’s journey throughout the season. Team Delta-15644 moved on to the RGV Championship by being on the Winning Alliance which included R. Cantu Jr. High and McAllen High School for the Tesla Division. Team Delta also received the Connect Award for their outstanding community outreach and being strong advocates for FIRST on their campus and in the community.
In the RGV Championship, teams were placed into two divisions, Fossum and McAullife. All three MetalHawks teams were placed in the Fossum Division. In a division that was already crowded with some of the best robotics teams from across the RGV, the MetalHawks would have the additional challenge of competing against one another. Despite these obstacles, all three teams performed exceptionally well in the robot game and moved on to the Fossum Division finals. In the finals, team Alpha formed an alliance with Mission High School and Patriot Engineering. Team Bravo formed an Alliance with Mission High School and La Joya T-Stem Academy and team Delta formed an Alliance with McAllen High School and Harlingen Early College. Team Alpha’s alliance was eliminated in the semifinals by Team Delta’s alliance. In the Fossum division championship, MetalHawks team Bravo and Delta would face each other for the championship.
In the end, team Delta’s alliance emerged as the victor and moved on to the tournament championship. In the tournament championship, the alliance winners of both the Fossum and McAuliffe division would face each other to crown a tournament champion. Team Delta’s Alliance prevailed as tournament champions in a best of 3 series against the winning alliance of the McAuliffe division. As a result, team Delta will now move on to the state regional competition which will be held in New Braunfels, TX March 2-3.