Walker's Robotics Team One of Three Champions in FIRST Robotics Competition

Walker’s Robotics Team Takes First Place in FIRST Competition

The 12 member robotics team at The Ethel Walker School (“Walker’s”) joined forces with two other high schools to become Champions of the 2016 FIRST Robotics Competition. FIRST, which stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,” provides a forum for high school students to compete head to head, using robots they have designed, built, and programmed. Walker’s teamed up with Hill Regional Career High School (New Haven) and South Windsor High School to win the day. Thirty-four other area high-schools also participated in the competition.

The “Wirecats” (a play on the school’s sports teams name, the Wildcats), are the first all-girls team to win a district event.

The competition was the culmination of a six-week build season, where the girls worked tirelessly to raise funds, perfect their team brand, build, and program their robot for the FIRST Stronghold Competition.

According to Team Mentor Rob Dawson, Walker’s Support Specialist and Systems Integrator, the girls demonstrated outstanding professionalism throughout the process. "This unique environment has taught the girls so much more than just engineering and programming skills; they have learned how to work under pressure, creatively problem solve, and work as a team to overcome obstacles," said Dawson. "It was inspiring to see them succeed in such a huge way after so many weeks of hard work. And, it’s sparked an interest in engineering among many of the girls.”

Walker's victory put the team in good position to qualify for the New England district championships, which will be held at the XL Center in Hartford on April 15-17. A win there would provide the team with the opportunity to qualify for the World Championship in St. Louis the following weekend.

The FIRST Competition was held March 4-6 at Wilby High School in Waterbury.

Four of the twelve members of the Walker’s Robotics Team – L to R: Marion Carr '18 (Amherst, MA), Kylie Driscoll '18 (Hamden, CT), Tricia Smith '16 (Simsbury, CT), Morgan Locandro '16 (Simsbury, CT).