Philadelphia’s William Bodine High School robotics team achieves remarkable milestone
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – William Bodine High School in Northern Liberties is one of a few schools in the area set to represent Philadelphia at the FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship in Texas.
The team’s name is the International Affairs robotics team, 9416 International ϴperatives of World Affairs (I.ϴ.W.A.).
9416 I.ϴ.W.A. won the Rookie All-Star Award at the FIRST Mid-Atlantic District Championships earlier this month. Now, they’ve qualified for the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) World Championship.
The 2024 World Championship will take place in Houston, Texas, from April 17-20. Bodine’s team 9416 I.ϴ.W.A. will be among the 600 teams that will be competing in the international event. To compete in the world championship, the robotics team is raising $20,000 to cover travel expenses, as well as equipment and supplies for their robot.
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“This money is going toward all of our funding for worlds, our food expenses and our traveling expenses,” said junior Sydney Lee, who is responsible for the team’s finances.
“Now, we are dealing with robots that are 100 plus pounds,” Robotics coach Laura Williams said. “They are going 20-25 miles per hour. They compete on the size of a basketball court.”
Bodine High School also got some help from several high schools in the area that are also competing in Texas. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy helped with airfare, Central High School donated space for the students to practice and Wissahickon High School helped out with the hotel rooms.
The competition is in Houston from April 17-20.
