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FRAMINGHAM – Team 9791C from the WalshBots robotics club of Walsh Middle School will be competing in the VEX Robotics World Championships in Dallas, Texas, in the first week of May.
VEX Robotics Competitions require teams to build a robot from the wheels up to be controlled both by a computer program and with a remote control. The robots are designed to be able to move objects from one place to another on the competition field. They are judged on their design and their ability to accomplish the goals of the game by themselves (giving them a Skills score), as well as to cooperate with another robot in a “match” against two other robots, fighting for the same objects, in a tournament.
Team 9791C, known as “WalshBot Covid Chaos”, consisting of three 8th graders, two 7th graders, and a 6th grader, is one of six teams in the robotics club.
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They started building their robot in October and competed at four events this season. Throughout the season, the team won the Excellence award, Design award, Create award and qualified for World Championships through their Skills score at the Southern New England Regional Championships.
They were the 9th ranked team in the region consisting of teams from Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. After each competition, the team worked to refine and improve their robot so they could accomplish even more at the next level.
All students involved in the club build skills in science, technology, engineering and math while gaining valuable experience in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving.
“In a year of “return to normal” for schools, nothing has been predictable for competition teams throughout the region, with sudden stops and starts. Yet, this team has persisted steadfastly learning new technical and teamwork skills, and applying them throughout the season,” said Pascal Chesnais, a Walsh teacher and the club advisor, who founded the robotics club in 2013. “They continue to demonstrate growth week over week at the club, in school, and on the competition field, they are truly a pleasure to work with. I look forward to seeing them proudly represent Framingham and the Southern New England competition region in Texas.”
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At the VEX Robotics World Championships, Team 9791C will compete against 480 other middle school robotics teams from across the United States and around the world.
The WalshBots team members will be at Robinson’s Hardware in Framingham this Sunday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Please stop by to meet the members of the robotics club, see the robots in action, and support the team.
Donations will help to cover travel expenses, but also to purchase and repair equipment and support future robotics teams.
Donations are also accepted online at https://my.cheddarup.com/c/walsh-robotics-club
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