TECHNICAL TEAM-UP

from 92129 Magazine - February/March 2020

IN OUR OWN BACKYARD

STUDENTS COLLABORATE FOR ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS Technical Team-Up

Local FIRST Robotics students celebrated a number of successes late last year, winning multiple awards with their competitive robot. Mechanical Advantage Team 16884 finished in first place at the Dec. 7 Tucson, AZ FIRST Tech Challenge Qualifier, along with alliance partner The ROBO Warriors Team 15652. Mechanical Advantage also received the Control Award for programming. Their performance at this event earned them the chance to compete in the Arizona State Championship in Flagstaff, AZ in February.

The team then closed out the year at the Central Phoenix Qualifying Tournament in Phoenix, AZ on Dec. 21, earning the first place Design Award and second place Connect Award. These awards

were hard-fought, and Mechanical Advantage had to overcome a major electrical failure during the event.

Mechanical Advantage includes team members from multiple local schools: Rohan Bosworth and Madalyn Nguyen from Poway High School; Manjusri Gobiraj, Kaila Rosing, and Christina Schierbeck from Scripps Ranch High School; P.J. Wetherell and Reily Hopkins from Westview High School; Rohin Sood from Oak Valley Middle School; and Arya Bosworth from Black Mountain Middle School.

Rohan, Madalyn, and P.J. serve as team captains, and this was the team’s first competitive year in the FIRST Tech Challenge. In addition to competing, Mechanical Advantage mentors younger FIRST Robotics teams, volunteers, and collaborates with sister organization Team Spyder 1622. Follow the team on Instagram @mechanicaladvantageftc. 