MANSFIELD — Superintendent Teresa Murphy and Mansfield High School (MHS) Principal Russ Booth are pleased to announce the resurgence of the school’s Robotics Team.
“We are excited at the opportunity to get the MHS Robotics Team up and running this year,” said Principal Booth. “Last year, we had a few students who inquired about the prospect of starting the team back up, and they did a great job finding an advisor and developing a plan to make the team a reality this year.”
In response to the students’ efforts, the MHS Robotics Team returned after a several-year hiatus. The entire initiative has been purely student driven.
MHS Senior Declan O'Brien is one of the students who was a driving force behind restarting the team.
“I wanted to be a part of a robotics team for years — so finally having the opportunity has been a magical experience,” Declan said. “I hope to be able to provide this opportunity to students like me for years to come, even after I graduate.”
Principal Booth spoke to his staff, and veteran math teacher Sandy Ollerhead, an MHS educator since 1998, volunteered for the assignment.
“It has been amazing to watch the team learn and grow in just the few months since they started,” said Ollerhead. “The students have developed skills in critical thinking, engineering design, coding, and teamwork. I have loved watching their robot evolve from the first competition to the second as they worked through the design process.”
Ollerhead teaches a variety of math classes at MHS, including geometry, algebra, and AP Computer Science. As the new Robotics Team advisor, she’ll lead its current membership, which includes 10 students from all grades, toward the creation, completion, and exhibition of competitive robotic projects.
The team entered its first competition in December. The students are using what they learned to improve their robot for the next one and have spent about 40 hours since the December event redesigning, building, and coding their robot for its second competition, which will be held on Feb. 1 in Framingham.
The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation sparks interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by engaging students in hands-on, sustainable, and affordable curriculum-based robotics programs. The REC Foundation’s VEX Competitions test young robot-builders’ skills across three tiers of participation — elementary and middle school, middle school and high school, and college/university.
Mansfield High currently has one team competing. Students have to design and build a robot using VEX-approved parts and program it.
The REC Foundation works in close partnership with VEX Robotics, Inc., creator of the robotics kits and educational tools used by students, educators and mentors. Each year, the two organizations unveil new engineering game challenges.
“The idea behind VEX is that every part of the design process is student-driven and student-led,” said Declan. “Our team for this year has done 100% of the designing, assembly, and programming for Roger — our nickname for the robot — and we’re having a blast doing it.”
The Mansfield Robotics Team learned valuable lessons at the December tournament.
“We decided to completely redesign the robot based on what we learned,” said Declan. “Since then, we have created a new design and 3D model, built most of the robot, and polished our code from last time to be better this time around. In our remaining time, we’re putting the final touches on the robot and have budgeted some time for driver practice and developing a strategy for the next competition.”
The Robotics Team is also welcoming new members, from all grades and of all abilities, to join. No experience is necessary.
“Personally, I find that robotics lies at the intersection of many different disciplines and intertwines them to create something greater than the sum of its parts in a way that I find magical,” Declan said. “To create a robot, you need to be able to assemble the mechanical parts, attach and wire in the electrical components, program each movement and mechanism, and be able to get each individual system working together in lockstep harmony.”
The complexity often creates challenges prior to implementation.
“I cannot list the number of times my team has come up with a brilliant idea to solve a problem on paper, gone to execute it in practice, and have had it reality hit us square in the face,” Declan said. “However, there truly is nothing like the feeling you get when everything comes together to solve a problem, and it just works. That magical moment makes all the time and effort you put into that robot worth it and drives me to devote so much time and energy to robotics.”
Robotics can be an expensive pursuit. The team is exploring ways to partner with local businesses — potentially one of the many technology and STEM-based companies in Mansfield or the surrounding area — to learn from professionals in the field, receive guidance, offset the expenses associated with robotics components, general supplies, and other associated costs.
“I would appreciate any additional help not only to help my dream continue but also to support the next generation of engineers, computer scientists, and/or STEM students for years to come,” Declan said.
For example, students at Jordan/Jackson Elementary recently met volunteers from Cardinal Health Healthcare Company to celebrate STEM Week, demonstrating how engineers create solutions to help people. Together, the volunteers and students built a "Bristle Bot."
“While we have been able to support the initial costs of equipment and kits, we are looking for support from area businesses in the form of sponsorship to help with the recurring costs that come with running a robotics team,” said Principal Booth. “All support would help our team cover the cost of team and event registrations, the purchase of competition game kits to help with preparation, recurring replacement parts, and updating our inventory of appropriate tools. Any business or entity with a background in robotics or engineering that would consider some level of partnership can reach out to me at MHS.”
Meet Roger, the Mansfield High School’s Robotics Team’s newest creation. This is Roger's final form, with all of the different pieces attached, from the belt to the intake. (Photo courtesy Mansfield Public Schools)
Sean Benvissuto works on a robot. (Photo courtesy Mansfield Public Schools)
This is the robot's base, which was assembled first and acts as a building-off point for the rest of the robot. (Photo courtesy Mansfield Public Schools)
Soham Gohil and Sri Hamsika Devineni helped to design, build, and program a robot for competition. (Photo courtesy Mansfield Public Schools)
First Photo: Members of the team include, from left: Nishant Karri, Kirill Khodos, Salvador Resendes, Declan O'Brien, Sean Benvissuto (on shoulders), Benjamin Dury, Soham Gohil, Kyle Dickinson, and Vansh Mookim. (Photo courtesy Mansfield Public Schools)