‘Small’ Fowlerville robotics team ready to compete on big stage
M. Alan Scott
FOWLERVILLE — The Fowlerville FIRST Robotics Team is truly the “little” team that could.
Comprised of just five members, the Fowlerville team has secured a spot in the prestigious FIRST Robotics World Championship being held in Houston this week. It is the first time that Fowlerville, which first organized a team in 2018, has advanced to the international finals.
Despite being one of the smallest teams in the competition, the Fowlerville team has demonstrated unmatched efficiency and creativity, and a commitment to practice and excellence, said its head coach Ray Burr.
“What’s unique about being small is that everyone on the team helps everyone else with all aspects,” Burr said. “You can’t really have specialists who (are only capable) of doing one thing. “We’ve been able to cross-train everyone, and (all five team members) work together to problem solve when needed.”
Each year, teams from around the globe are tasked with designing and building a new robot from scratch, tailored to meet specific competition requirements. The robots then go head-to-head in a series of rounds, performing tasks that challenge their design, speed, efficiency and the strategic thinking of their creators.
Like all 620-plus FIRST Robotics high school teams in Michigan, Fowlerville started out competing in regionals in February. Its performance qualified the team to advance to the state finals the first weekend of April at Saginaw Valley State University. There, Fowlerville finished 39th, the best result ever for the team. They had just a two-week turnaround to prepare for Houston. According to the team’s head coach, advancing out of Michigan is extremely difficult because the state has more FIRST Robotics teams than any other state.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Burr said. “It’s not easy getting to the state finals, much less (the world championships) because Michigan is so competitive. “Since a couple of weekends ago, they’ve been working to put the robot back together for worlds. It got a little beat up at the state finals.”
Not only that but the Fowlerville team quickly had to ramp up its fundraising efforts to help pay for the trip to Houston for all five team members and a handful of advisors. Total travel costs for the students and to get their equipment and materials to Houston is nearly $20,000, Burr added. While a Michigan Department of Education grant helped to fund the team’s registration and earlier event entries, the cost of the trip to Houston is funded by corporate and private donors, the school district and the families themselves.
In retrospect, perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that the team has been so successful. Burr said members early in the year committed to meeting at least five days a week to collaborate on preparing for competitions. Burr says the being a team member has some similarities to running a business since all team members – senior Hunter Arledge-Teran, juniors Cameron Cook and Tyler Dailey, and sophomores Spencer Drummond and Jason Smyczysaki. – are involved in all aspects of not just the competitions but the necessary logistics. That includes CAD work, driving the robot, engineering skills, coding, CNC work, fundraising and more.
“This achievement is a testament to what young minds can accomplish with ingenuity, hard work and a passion for science and technology,” said Matthew Stuard, Superintendent of Fowlerville Community Schools. “Their journey to the World Robotics Competition in Houston is not just a victory for (their team) but it highlights the importance of STEM education and the incredible potential of our students.”
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Burr has been working with Stuard and other district administrators and teachers to try and expand the FIRST Robotics program within the district to middle and elementary schools. Stuard has experience with multiple district teams from his time at Mason before taking the superintendent position at Fowlerville just over a year ago.
“It’s our goal to expand this team to other (age) levels because STEM is something that we want to highlight at the younger grades as well,” Burr said. “I know it’s a goal within the district.”
The World Robotics Championship is expected to draw hundreds of teams from across the globe, offering students a unique opportunity to learn from their peers and engage with professional engineers. The Fowlerville team’s first-ever appearance is a proud moment for the Fowlerville community. Stay updated on the team’s progress by following the Fowlerville team on Facebook at facebook.com/frcfastteam.
— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.
