Skunkworks Robotics

Local High School Robotics Team Savors Sweet Smell of Victory in FIRST Competition

OMAX is proud to have sponsored the Des Moines' Aviation High School Skunkworks Robotics Team 1983, winners of the Microsoft Seattle Regional Robotics Competition.  The Seattle event was one of 41 regional competitions leading up to the 2008 FIRST Championship held April 17-19 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), is a national program designed to "immerse high school students in the fascinating world of design, engineering, and technology.”  Held annually, FIRST emphasizes relationship building and teamwork.

The 2008 Skunkworks team consisted of 32 students and a number of mentors chosen from throughout the community. OMAX played a key role in this year"s competition  by volunteering several advisors as well as an OMAX JetMachining^® Center, which was used to cut many of the parts for the competition robot.   

This year’s FIRST challenge involved building a robot that could lift a 10-lb ball, 40-inches in diameter, and place it upon or toss it over a 6-foot high overpass.  As part of the winning alliance (group of 3 teams) at the Microsoft Seattle regional, Skunkworks won the Engineering Inspiration Award, the Delphi Driving Tomorrow’s Technology Award, and was runner up for the Underwriters Laboratory Industries Safety Award. 

The team went on to compete at the nationals in Atlanta where they were entered into the Galileo Division and finished ranked fifth.  Although they lost their first elimination round, the team is already looking forward to next year’s competition and using their skills to meet a brand new challenge.  

Go Skunkworks! 

http://ahsrobotics.us/media/2008.shtml