Without a Lenoir County FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics team, a Kinston family has used Wayne County resources for its participation in the organizations annual regional competition in Raleigh.
The Spence family started engineering robots through Wayne County’s 4-H Robotic program. This year, the family has multiple sponsors to fund their entry into FIRST Games to be held at Raleigh’s Dorton Arena starting today.
Laura Spence and family — including six children — began participating three years ago. The competition tasks are to build, design and control a robot through a series of obstacle-like settings on an open field; more than 50 regional teams are given six weeks to construct a robot and will compete this weekend.
The Spences are on Team 3737 Roto Raptors, along with 20 official members between 12 and 18-years-old. The group also includes several mentors who are older than 18.
This year, the group worked out of friends’ garages because they lost their storage space at the Wayne County 4-H office to a pottery class.
As they prepare for the near-$15,000 activity, Laura Spence said JCP is a significant sponsor because the company has a national initiative to support Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) efforts by awarding up $5,000 first-year grants.
She said it’s an avenue to get a local FIRST team.
“If there was a team that wanted to form in Lenoir County, they definitely have sponsors,” said Spence, who began robotics in Wayne County as the home school leader for Goldsboro’s Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. “We can bring this program to this county, too.”
In the meantime, Spence, her husband and age-eligible children continue to prepare for the final activities of the build and design season.
FIRST began in January with a kick-off robot building event in 83 places, including Canada. Spence said Roto Raptors visited a recent competition in Myrtle Beach, S.C. to scope out any regional competition for the weekend’s games.
The top eight teams who advance to nationals to be held in St. Louis, Mo. will select two other teams a piece to form an alliance against the winners they’ll face at nationals. Roto Raptors haven’t yet made a trip to the national games.
Last year, the team won the Cooperation Award for successfully balancing its robot on a see-saw. They machine they built this year was stored away until today, which will be the first time they test it as a complete model.
“It takes a fairly decent amount of skill, because you program it yourself,” Josh Spence, 16, said.
He said he enjoys the crude mechanical engineering facet of the team and helped create the team’s website.
Laura Spence said aside from engineering and social skills, the teams learn how to brand a product. Roto Raptors, for instance, just constructed a raptor mascot uniform, which was worn by 14-year-old Daniel Spence on Tuesday.
“We had to try it on 50 times a week,” he said slightly laughing. “It took a long while.”
Laura Spence said the atmosphere is loud and spirited as teams display their mascot. Teams even have some cheer squads.
“There’s a position for everyone,” she said.
She added the robotics program would benefit from having more teams in the community.
“It’s a very expensive hobby, but it’s very worth it for the kids who have an opportunity to build,” she said. “We’d love to have more teams (and) we’re willing to help out.”
Jessika Morgan can be reached at 252-559-1078 or at jessika.morgan@kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessikaMorgan.
BREAKOUT BOX:
FIRST Robotics Regional Competition
n Dorton Arena, on N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh
n March 14-16
n Closed to public Thursday
n Friday 9 a.m.–7 p.m.
n Saturday 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
All FIRST events are free and open to the public