Students from a comprehensive school in the UK are preparing to compete in the prestigious First Global Challenge, often referred to as the “robotics Olympics.” This year, they’ll be showing off their skills to an international audience on the big stage in Panama City. Over 30,000 inspiring teams from 190 countries will unite to address this year’s theme of sustainable food networks. Their journey has been an amazing ride for sure. Only two years ago, they were facing monumental hurdles as first-timers in the robotics industry.
Adrian, a proud member of Rochester’s FIRST robotics team, couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments. “In two years, we’ve come so far. None of us thought when we started that we would become the UK champions and represent our country in a global competition,” he said. Eight years in, the unexpected team has bonded under honcho Matt Fry’s leadership. Matt brought the robotics program to their school two years ago, inspiring and involving kids like Kieran and Teddy.
The team’s road to victory was grueling. In their inaugural competition, they lost in an embarrassing landslide. Kieran feels strongly that the team took important lessons from that bruising experience. “None of us knew much about the competition,” he reflected. “After that we bounced back and just put everything into it – and then we did really well.”
The robotics program has changed the way the team operates and greatly improved their self-worth and confidence. Kieran praised Mr. Fry’s impact on their journey, stating, “Mr Fry is like a god in our eyes, he’s just taken this programme, given it to us and look where we are now – we’re going to Panama. Without him, none of this would have ever happened. We can only say ‘thank you.’”
While the team looks ahead to the international competition in Toronto, they can be proud of how far they’ve come and the robot they designed and built together. As a closing note, Matt Fry highlighted the need to have students engaged in the decision-making process from beginning to end. “I want them making decisions,” he said.
As we continued to talk, Adrian painted a picture of how transformative their experience with robotics had been. “It was just so incredible,” he noted. The team’s hard work has led them to become the first comprehensive school to represent Great Britain at the international event, a milestone that highlights their dedication and perseverance.
Kieran is hopeful despite their chances in Panama City not being as rosy. He’s convinced that their well-timed journey has specifically equipped them for the moribund competition ahead. Surely, he’s aware that they have the potential to play their best against elite teams.