Miami Coral Park Senior High’s ‘RamTech’ robotics program gears up for international competition – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
(WSVN) – An award-winning robotics team from a South Florida school is competing on the world stage. 7’s Heather Walker shines today’s Spotlight on a group of incredibly skilled students.
This is not your typical classroom.
From 3D design software and printing, to AI technology, even students manufacturing parts, in here, it’s all about the nuts and bolts of building robots.
Jake Daniel, student: “It was very complicated trying to figure this out.”
That’s an understatement.
Meet the teenage masterminds whose high-tech creations come to life at Miami Coral Park Senior High School.
Charlie Delahoz, robotics teacher: “They’re using high-end academics to design and build.”
Charlie Delahoz leads the “RamTech” robotics program. And although every student raised their hand when we asked who planned to pursue engineering after high school, their teacher’s background is much different.
Charlie Delahoz: “I’m a former football coach, so I treat it like a sport, and I train the kids, and we do go through all the things. We practice.”
What they’re training and practicing for is called the “ultimate sport for the mind.”
The FIRST Robotics Competition brings together more than 86,000 students from across the country and around the world.
Out of nearly 3,500 robot teams, 600 qualified for the championship in Houston, including RamTech.
Jake Daniel: “This robot in particular is named Twisted Tempo.”
The students had just under eight weeks to design, manufacture, assemble and code their robot.
They trained it to excel at this year’s challenge, called “Crescendo.”
They operate their robot with a video game controller.
Charlie Delahoz: “It’s trying to grab these rings and throw them in and score them, and each different place where you select them, it gives you different points.”
At last year’s competition, RamTech placed fifth in the world.
Luke Amor, student: “Everyone’s blood is pumping, everyone is happy, Even if you’re just in the stands looking, it’s nail-biting action.”
Sophomore Luke Amor says he has been interested in robotics since he was little.
Luke Amor: “Even as a preschooler, I was like, ‘Oh, man, I want to be an engineer when I grow up.’ Being able to just design something and seeing it come to life is magnificent.”
Younger students like Luke learn from upperclassmen and alumni professionals who pass down their knowledge to keep the robotic competitive link intact.
Charlie Delahoz: “This is the hardest fun you’ll ever do. It’s not easy.”
Brianna Guas, student: “Honestly, sometimes it’s a little bit stressful, but it’s super fun.”
Seventeen-year-old Brianna Guas also started building her future as a kid.
Now?
Charlie Delahoz: “Brianna has established herself as literally the top mechanic on our team, and she’s only an 11th grader.”
Brianna Guas: “It’s like just a commonly known thing that boys are more into engineering, so I felt like I didn’t fit in at first, and I’ve been trying to get other girls in, because I know it can be scary for them, too, and I don’t want them to feel that way. This is my future.”
But at the moment, it’s all about one high school group’s tight-knit mission to rally their robot to victory.
Heather Walker, 7News.
On Saturday, the FIRST Robotics Competition will name a champion. Stay tuned to 7News for an update on how the RamTech team does.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
RamTech
FIRST Robotics Competition
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