Successful Year for Robotics Team

The robotics team started off the spring season with three robots qualifying for the U.S. Open Robotics Championship. Unfortunately, that tournament and two other spring championship tournaments were canceled because of COVID-19. But under the leadership of team captains Diego Domenig ’20, Avery Miller ’20, and Tony Tao ’20, the team had a solid year and was unwavering in the commitment and work it put into the robots.

Ryan Shue ‘23, who drives one of the robots, says, “It’s great
to work with people who have the same interests as you. And it’s a fun way to apply that interest in and knowledge of engineering.”

The team participates in VEX Robotics, an after-school program that challenges students to design and build robots that compete against others to complete certain tasks in a small arena.

Team members meet in the basement of the Art and Media Center. “They’re here all the time, until 6 p.m. on weekdays and later on Fridays,” says Chris Hales, chair of the Computer Science Department. “They
are so dedicated. They put in the time so they can improve and succeed.”

One of Shue’s and Tao’s favorite competitions this year was the Night at the Museum, held at the National Air and Space Museum in Virginia. Sixty of the best high school teams from around the world competed in a room holding the space shuttle Discovery.