At the center of that experience is FIRST Robotics Competition, a global youth robotics program that brings students together to design and build robots that are then entered into competitions.
On a Thursday morning in early April at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, student teams gathered to prepare for competition. Months of design, engineering, and programming came down to a single moment on the competition floor.
Each year, FIRST hosts regional competitions across the world, including the one in Las Vegas where three teams from Reno competed alongside national and international teams. One of those teams is FRC 9426, Clawbotics.
“In the FIRST Robotics Competition, students design, test, and build large-scale robots before taking them to regional events where they compete with and against teams from around the world,” said Michael Resciniti, head coach of Clawbotics.
Beyond building and programming robots, students can take on roles in marketing, communications, fundraising, and community outreach.
At the Las Vegas Regional, Clawbotics competed against more than 40 teams from around the world.While their robot experienced coding malfunctions that impacted performance, teammate Naomi Thompson said the team still achieved an important milestone: a successful qualification round.
“Amazing, if the robot would've worked, it would've been fantastic but that’s okay,” Thompson said.
Even though the team did not advance to the world championship, members said they are proud of their progress and the work they put in throughout the season.
Looking ahead, Clawbotics plans to focus on securing grants and sponsorships for upcoming seasons, with the goal of continuing to expand opportunities for students to develop skills in engineering, coding, and science.
Laine Parkhurst is a junior at Galena High School and a participant in KUNR’s Youth Media program, a special partnership with the Washoe County School District to train the next generation of journalists.