NCI’s first robotics teams finishes season
The New College Institute’s first robotic team has concluded this year’s competitive season with successful results and some remarkable achievements.
STAGS Team 1262 finished the year with a ranking of 35th among 109 competing teams in the Chesapeake District that included teams from Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. The ranking outpaces last year, when the team placed 59th.
That STAGS competing in one of this year’s events.
“My first season as head mentor for the STAGS has been incredible,” said Trevor Martin. “This team, comprised of 87% rookie members, learned and executed the skills necessary to build a robot competitive enough for district championships, all in less than eight weeks. Each student has put in extraordinary amounts of time and effort this season and I am very proud of all of them.”
The STAGS competed in two regular season competitions this season in Blacksburg and Glen Allen. They were awarded the Team Spirit Award and Safety Award in Blacksburg and the Gracious Professionalism Award in Glen Allen.
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The STAGS ended the season by competing in the FIRST Chesapeake FIRST Robotics Competitions District Championship in Chesapeake where they finished 29th out of 55 teams.
Team members included 15 high school students from across the region:
- Adam Aguilar Jr., Martinsville High School, 11th grade.
- Aidan Amos, home schooled.
- Charley Amos, home schooled.
- Jordan Draper, Martinsville High School, 10th grade.
- Evan Hodges, Bassett High School, 9th grade.
- Jonas Hollingsworth, home schooled.
- Aidan Hood, Martinsville High School, 11th grade.
- William Morrison, Magna Vista High School, 12th grade.
- Jun Olea, Martinsville High School, 10th grade.
- Elijah Pickett, Martinsville High School, 12th grade.
- Alan Sanchez-Garcia, Bassett High School, 9th grade.
- Jeras Travis, Magna Vista High School, 10th grade.
- Abigail Walton, Fieldale-Collinsville Middle School, 8th grade.
- Ronald Walton, Bassett High School, 9th grade.
- Connor Wotring, Magna Vista High School, 9th grade.
Pickett and Morrison will both be graduating this year.
“I plan to attend Virginia Tech to obtain a degree in mechanical engineering,” Pickett said. “I have been with the STAGS for five years, and through the program, I have learned how to design, prototype, and build robots; something that I never would have seen myself doing beforehand. I have also had the opportunity to meet with people from all over the state at both competitions and through visits from members of the Virginia government, even meeting Gov. Glenn Youngkin.”
Said Morrison: “I plan to attend Virginia Tech to further study mechanical engineering. I have gained a lot of experience through robotics, such as learning CAD [computer-aided design], a basic understanding of CNC [computer numerical control], learning about machines, and a whole variety of tools and even meeting Gov. Glenn Youngkin. With the help of robotics and the STAGS, I now have the opportunity to pursue my dreams and have a chance to make the world a better place.”
