phoe·nix - In Greek mythology, a phoenix is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn. Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor.
This is a fitting title for the Arcadia High Robotics Club because it is not unlike the engineering process. We are always dismantling some creation to give birth to a new design in order to tackle new problems or challenges. At AHS, we explore various technologies and shape them into new and exciting creations.
We started our journey in September of 2012 with the Great Marshmallow Challenge. It is an engineering challenge in which teams compete to build the tallest freestanding structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard each of tape and string, and one marshmallow that is supported by the structure....in eighteen minutes. This turned out to be a great lesson in collaboration as well as the value of building and testing prototypes.
Our program is a continuation of the excellent work done in Arcadia Middle School's Robotics Program, where the students are given a foundation in engineering and the logical design process by working with Lego Mindstorms. Building on this knowledge, we aim to give the students many avenues of exploration, including an introduction to C++ programming, open-source software, as well as the exciting world of competitive robotics.
We are fortunate to have a community of many great minds, comprised of students, educators, community members, and experts in the field, to help inspire our young explorers. We are especially thankful to Amy Davis, who is the program manager for the NASA Robotics Alliance Project at Wallops Island. She works to support and promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) through robotics activities. With the support of the Robotics Alliance, our students have the oppurtunity to work with the VEX Robotics Design System. By designing and building a robot with a goal in mind, the students learn to work as a team where each member may offer their unique insight and abilities to the finished product.