Lightning Robotics Team 8081 excels at inaugural competition

LEAMINGTON – A rookie robotics team from UMEI Christian High School made their mark at the regional FIRST Robotics competition held February 28 through March 1.

Thirty-six robotics teams from high schools across Southwestern Ontario gathered at Durham College in Oshawa to collaborate and learn from each other and compete with their own robots. The UMEI rookie team, Lightning Robotics Team 8081, entered for the first time and surprised their counterparts with three awards.

Each year, teams are given a new task to challenge their robots on the competition day. However, it is the job of the team to figure out how to complete these tasks over the course of just a few months. They are given basic tools and supplies to build their robot that they will then use to compete with alongside other teams.

The UMEI team has fostered dedicated students like Natasha Schartner (grade 12) who works as the teams public relations representative and manages sponsorship outreach and relationships, marketing and social media, and branding design and apparel.

Lightning Robotics Team 8081 is the home of students interested in robotic engineering, science technology, design, public relations, finance, photography and more.

The weekend encompassed 12 qualifying matches for Team 8081 without any downtime. Throughout these matches, the team’s robot was always functional even after sustaining damage. They practiced teamwork by building alliances with other schools and showed their true endurance while problem solving errors and glitches in their robot in between matches.

John Fittler and Wes Shuttleworth, lead coaches and UMEI’s science teachers, have this to say about their team: “We were so proud of the way our group came together as a team and the personal growth that they acquired at this tournament.”

Lightning Robotics Team 8081 placed 10th in the qualifying matches and continued on to the playoffs where they were able to form an alliance, something not normally bestowed on a rookie team.

Three students on the UMEI Lightning Robotics team at work on their robot. From let to right are Erin Kuipers, Simon Enns and Nicholas Driedger. (Submitted Photo)

Team 8081 left with three awards to take home. Highest Rookie Seed Award for being the highest ranked rookie team in the qualification rounds, Rookie All Star Award, and team member Raylene Schartner received the Safety All Star Award for the team.

Participants, judges and spectators alike were impressed by the new rookie team.

“I think our team was on a huge high after this whole weekend after months and months of work. It’s exciting to see it all come together in one quick weekend,” said Natasha Schartner.

UMEI Christian High School’s FIRST Lightning Robotics Team 8081, in front, left to right: Abby Krueger, Denise Schmitt, Nicholas Driedger, Simon Enns. Second row: Wesley Shuttleworth (coach), Erin Kuipers, Raylene Schartner, Monica Klassen, Kassidy Tiessen, Natasha Schartner, Joshua Smith, Mason Fittler, Braedon Douglas, Josh Fittler (coach). (Submitted Photo)