After winning two regional competitions, the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy’s FIRST Robotics Team 1717, the D’Penguineers, is rocking the competition at the World Championship in St. Louis this week, ranking No. 1 after a perfect winning streak.
To qualify for the World Championship, teams must either be on the winning alliance of a regional, win the Rookie All-Star or Chairman’s award, or be selected from the wait list lottery. This year, there is a record-breaking number of teams, with 400 teams divided into four divisions (Archimedes, Curie, Galileo and Newton). Each division functions similarly to regional competitions, where teams compete in the qualification matches for a chance to select their alliance partners for the elimination process.
The winners of each division make it to the big stage — Einstein, where they will compete with three other alliances for a shot at taking home the title of “world champions.”
This year’s game, Rebound Rumble, is played by two competing alliances of three robots each on a 27-foot-by-54-foot field. The goal of the game is to score as many foam basketballs into basketball hoops as possible within two minutes. Toward the end of the match, teams compete to balance on the teetering bridges in the middle of the field.
“Our robot this year is possibly the best we’ve ever brought to this competition, and think with a little luck we could be champions,” student Phillip Hodgson said. “That would be such an amazing way to finish this amazing season, and because our team is all seniors, this is our only chance to do it.”
Just getting to Einstein would be an achievement — and a first for the team.
» Click here to watch Team 1717 play live on Saturday.
» Click here for more information on the Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy.
» Click here for more information on the DPEA Foundation. Click here to make an online donation.
— The Dos Pueblos Engineering Academy Public Relations & Event Reporting Team includes Jeff Gau, Chloe Warinner, Justin Morris, Sepideh Parhami, Phillip Hodgson, Parker Olson and Danielle Tisdale.
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