Girard robotics team takes first place

The Robocats beat 33 teams from four other states and Canada.

GIRARD — The Girard High School F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Team won the Kettering University robotics competition in Flint, Mich., in September.

The Girard Robocats formed an alliance with the Killer Bees from Auburn Hills, Mich., and Chief Delphi from Pontiac, Mich., to defeat 33 other teams from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, New York and Ontario, Canada.  

The team placed second in the competition in 2006 and also captured the Spirit of F.I.R.S.T. Award.

Another local F.I.R.S.T. Robotics team, Warren’s Delphi ELITE, also competed and made the quarterfinals.

F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics is an international competition in which teams design, build and program a robot to compete in a competitive game. The event involves cooperation among competing teams.

The game changes annually, and the game for the upcoming 2008 season will be announced during a national kickoff the first Saturday in January.

Fundraisers planned

The Robocats will sponsor a Trash and Treasure sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. next Saturday at the Girard City Gym, Market and Main streets, and an aluminum can recycling drive Thursday-Oct. 15 behind Girard High School on Highland Avenue to raise money for the 2008 event.

In addition to robot competition, team members also participate in interviews with Fortune 500 company executives, design and maintain a team Web site, complete Computer Automated Design drawings and build prototypes, and engage in computer programming, video production and public relations activitiestvva as well as community service.  

This event teaches and engages all students in science, math, engineering, technology and language arts, preparing them to be future leaders.  

The team’s Web site is at www.girardroboticas.com.

F.I.R.S.T., a nonprofit organization founded by Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway, in 1989, was created to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.

Members of the team

Team members are: Seniors Joe Bishop, Tiea Frantz, Kelsey Hoover, Julianne Kempe, Josh Lisko, Tim May and Caine Wallace; juniors Zach Archuleta, Dan Blount, Melissa Blue, Maria Culp, Michelle Lees, Steve Quinn, Ron Rhodes, Nathan Shonce; sophomores Jessica Anthony, Tyler Biddle, Alisa Cario, Jake Chase, Rodney Heisel, Max Horne, Jordan Kramer, DeLasia Levy, Matt Matey, Ashley Minniti, Lindsay Snyder, Jordan Vigorito, Kayla Walker and Shane Wilson; freshmen Kristen Cline, Rachel Coggins, Aimee Hoschar, Emily Luther, Brittany Marion, Philip Minniti, Camille Smith and Kaleigh Wallace; eighth-graders Jordan Cole, Emily Cramer, Ronnie Exline, Michael Hines, Patrick Kempe and Max Vasel.

Team advisers/coaches are Girard teachers Judy Barber and Ashraf Hadi and community volunteers Mike Adams, Pat Callihan, Emil David, Nick DiFabio, Joseph Jeswald, Denny McBride and Randy Suchanek.