Congratulations to Dominican’s robotics teams, the Valkyries and the Ultraviolets, that took FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Tech) Challenge awards at the March 20th Louisiana Regional Championship competition.
Dominican Ultraviolets – Back Row (from left): Coach Crissy Giacona, Isabella Sachitano, Mia Reyes, Madeline Pourciau, Caroline Alleman, Caitlyn Dumas, Charlotte Raymond, Tess Baker, Emma Plaisance, and Coach Kenneth Lannes. Front Row (from left): Audrey Wild, Sydney Raymond, Elana Perriott, and Daja’h Saul.
The Ultraviolets took first place in the Design Award and third place in the Control Award. The Design Award recognizes design elements of the robot that are both functional and aesthetic. It is presented to teams that incorporate industrial design elements into their solution. These design elements could simplify the robot’s appearance by giving it a clean look, be decorative in nature, or otherwise express the creativity of the team. The robot should be durable, efficiently designed, and effectively address the game challenge. The team must submit an engineering portfolio with an engineering content which could be CAD images or robot drawings of the team’s overall design and/or components. They also document and implement strong industrial design principles, striking a balance between form, function, and aesthetics.
The Control Award celebrates a team that uses sensors and software to increase the robot’s functionality in the field. This award is given to the team that demonstrates innovative thinking to solve game challenges such as autonomous operation, improving mechanical systems with intelligent control, or using sensors to achieve better results. The control component should work consistently in the field. The team’s engineering portfolio must contain details about the implementation of the software, sensors, and mechanical control, but does not need to include copies of the code itself. Teams must submit a Control Award submission form as a separate document not exceeding two pages that identify the control aspects of their robot that they are most proud of.
Dominican Valkyries – Back Row (from left): Coach Crissy Giacona, Rachael Tatford, Ashley Alexis, Pricilla Martinez, Elisabeth Amato, and Emma Ernst. Front Row (from left): Meredith Kononchek, Isabella Roberts, Morgan Tebbe, and Cecilia Cangelosi.
The Valkyries team was awarded third place in the Motivate Award. This judged award celebrates the team that represents the essence of the FIRST Tech Challenge competition through Gracious Professionalism and general enthusiasm for the overall philosophy of FIRST and what it means to be a FIRST Tech Challenge Team. This is a team who makes a collective effort to make FIRST known throughout their school and community, and sparks others to embrace the culture of FIRST. Teams must submit an engineering portfolio that includes its organization plan which could describe their future goals and the steps they will take to reach those goals. Examples of what the plan could include are team identity, fund-raising goals, sustainability goals, timelines, outreach to nontechnical groups, finances, and community service goals. The team is an ambassador for FIRST programs and can explain the individual contributions of each team member, and how these apply to the overall success of the team.
Dominican Robotics coaches are Matthew Foss, Crissy Giacona, Kenneth Lannes, and Madelyn Maldonado.
Virtual Louisiana Regional Championship Photo Gallery
