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Canfield Circuit Birds ready to compete
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Members and mentors of the Canfield High School FIRST Robotics Team 4601, also known as the Canfield Circuit Birds, who worked on this year’s robot for the FIRST robotics competitions in which they will compete during the month of March are, from left, mentor Michael Messuri, Bobby Hudock, Jacob Brothers, Don Cutrer, CHS engineering graphics teacher Don Crum, Paul Ugolini and mentor Mike Ramunno.
By ABBY SLANKER
The Canfield High School FIRST Robotics Team 4601, also known as Canfield Circuit Birds, is gearing up for this year’s competition season. The team, which consists of 19 students, will travel to FIRST robotics competitions in California, Pa. during March 5-7 and Cleveland during March 26-28.
With four senior students leading the team, the students have worked daily in their ‘nest’ at Canfield High School, including weekends and snow days, sometimes working until midnight. The last weekend of the build was Feb. 13-16, with the team’s robot having to be packed up Feb. 17.
Each team is given a kit of parts made up of motors, batteries, a control system, a PC and a mix of automation components – and only limited instructions. The teams have six weeks to complete the robot.
The name of the game this year at the FIRST robotics competitions is Recycle Rush. The students must build a robot which is able to stack traditional recycle containers on a platform and then place a pool noodle through a hole in a stand-up container which has been placed on top of the other containers. Two students will ‘drive’ the robot with video game controllers and joy sticks.
Serving as mentors for this year’s team are Dr. Mike Crescimanno, Dr. Dominic Messuri and CHS engineering graphics teacher Don Crum, along with several parent volunteers, including Sheila Ugolini.
“This year we have two Canfield High School and Circuit Birds alumni and current Youngstown State University students who came back to serve as mentors for our team. Michael Messuri and Mike Ramunno have donated their time to help guide this team, and we really appreciate them helping us out,” Ugolini said.
Ugolini’s son, Paul, is a senior member of the team and was a founding member of the team when it was formed three years ago.
“Through Mr. Crum’s Jets Club, a group of us competed in Lego competitions at YSU. I was always interested in engineering and attended the FIRST World Championships in St. Louis a few years ago and really liked what I saw and was interested in bringing it back to Canfield. My mom and I talked to Mr. Crum about it and that’s how the team was created,” Paul said.
During the team’s first year, the Canfield Circuit Birds and brought home several awards, including Highest Seeded Rookie and Rookie All Star Award at the Pittsburgh Regionals and The Rookie Inspiration Award at the World Championship in St. Louis, Mo.
For more information on the Canfield Circuit Birds or the FIRST robotics competitions, visit www.circuitbirds.com or usfirst.org.