All-Girl WalshBots Are Highest-Ranked Middle School Team at Robotics Competition

Walsh Robotics Club’s competition teams, known as the WalshBots, competed in the all-day VEX Robotics Competition 2015-16 Nothing But Net tournament game.

The robotics game is played by scoring colored balls in high and low goals and by elevating the robot in a designated climbing zone.

Four teams teams from Walsh competed with and against 39 other middle and high school teams from around the region.

Framingham High School also fielded four teams in the competition Quinsigamond Community College last weekend.

Although the WalshBots did not take home an award in this first competition of season, two teams placed very well in the overall rankings, said Chesnais.

Team 9791-F, an all-girls team composed of Katherine Zuliy, Isobel Garret, Maddy Wissler, and Makayla St. Cyr, was the highest ranked middle school team. Team 9791-E also made it into the elimination rounds.

“I am proud of all the Walsh teams competing on Saturday. For some, this is their third season to apply all the science, technology, engineering, and math skills they have been learning in the classroom to solve complex problems. This first match was to take robots out for a test run, meet with other teams and develop their strategies for the rest of the season,” said WalshBots advisor Pascal Chesnais.

“I am particularly proud of our girls team, their focus and steadfast performance throughout the day served them well, placing them as the top ranked middle school team at the event,” said Chesnais.

All four FHS teams made it into the elimination rounds and team 9421C won the Programming Skills award.

To prepare for the competition, the group worked together to design and build a robot using VEX EDR, that could quickly and efficiently solve specific obstacles and challenges that come with playing the game Nothing But Net, explained Chesnais.

Walsh competition teams meet three times a week after school in the new robotics workshop to develop their robots and practice on a regulation competition field, made possible by the Framing Education Foundation, said Chesnais.

Students are supported by volunteers from the Retirees School Volunteer Association composed of retired engineers from around the region. In addition to volunteer time, Walsh Robotics receives financial and equipment support from the RSVA, Raytheon, and QCC’s K12 STEM @Scale program.

Upcoming qualifying competitions for Southern New England Regionals:

• Dec. 12 at Quinsigamond Community College
• Jan. 9 at Walsh Middle School
• Jan. 16 at Quinsigamond Community College
• Feb. 13 at Quinsigamond Community College

Events are open to the public and run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

***

Photos courtesy of the WalshBots