ROBOTICS Girard team advances to national competition

Two area robotics teams will compete this month in nationals in Atlanta.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- The Girard High School Robotics Team has advanced to national competition after receiving the FIRST Robotics' highest honor in regional competition.
The Regional Chairman's Award at the Buckeye Regional Competition last weekend in Cleveland automatically qualified the team for the national competition April 16 and 17 in Atlanta.
FIRST is an acronym of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.
Girard will be joined by Warren G. Harding High School's Robotics Team at nationals because of its standing at regionals.
The Chairman's Award is the highest honor bestowed on a FIRST Robotics team, and is for the team that the judges feel best exemplifies the ideals of FIRST Robotics, said Judy Barber, a team adviser.
"I wasn't getting my hopes up," junior team member Amanda Leschinsky said of winning the regional award.
"We thought we were going to get it -- and we did," asserted senior team member Mike Grumley.
The field
Girard's 24-member team competed against 59 other teams to receive the award.
During national competition, Girard and Harding will compete against nearly 400 other teams, including 26 regional chairman's award winners.
Amanda and Mike pointed out that winning the chairman's national award is more prestigious than capturing the national championship.
The winner of the national Chairman's Award receives a life entry to the national competition and a senior team member receives up to a $10,000 scholarship.
Since its inception 11 years ago, FIRST Robotics Competition has been about partnership among people, the impact it has on their lives and appreciation of science and technology, Barber explained.
Regional award winners receive medallions and a permanent FIRST regional trophy.
The Girard team was also honored with the Entrepreneurship Award, which recognizes the businesslike running of their team and the involvement of the entire community in their team.
This is the third time in three years that the Girard team has earned this award, Barber said.
yovich@vindy.com