South Dade High Robotics Students Prepare for International FIRST Competition in Houston

The South Dade High School robotics team is preparing to travel to Houston for an international FIRST Robotics competition.

Known as the FIRST Championship, it will take place from April 29 to May 3 and include at least 460 teams from around the world.

The Bucs Robotics team has worked hard over the past several years to achieve success in FIRST Robotics competitions. They won the Industrial Design Award at a major competition at the University of Miami, where their robot was considered the most reliable.

“I am very proud of our team. The students have worked hard to build the robot and prepare it for competition,” said Shawn Waring, who teaches robotics and coaches the team.

The FIRST Robotics competition requires students to design, build and program their robot. They begin working early in the year using provided parts. At South Dade, students work in a shop environment to develop their robot.

Christian Diaz, a leader on the team, said, “We want to be the best team possible, and we have built everything and written the code for the robot.”

During competitions, teams participate in alliances of three. They play a game similar to soccer on a small field, driving their robots to control a ball-like object and shoot it into a goal. The team that scores the most goals wins, and students must work together to make the alliances successful.

In Houston, the Bucs will compete alongside some of the best robotics teams in the world. Some teams are from high schools, while others are community-based. During the competition, they will form alliances and learn from one another while working together. The goal for every team is to qualify for the finals.

South Dade robotics students are now working to improve their robot while raising money and community support to help pay for the trip.

“We have received community support,” Waring said.

Waring will also work with a group of students to build and race an electric car at Homestead-Miami Speedway. They will prepare the car and compete against other schools.

He has also developed a construction program where students interested in the trades can learn carpentry, electrical work and plumbing, building skills that can lead to careers in construction.