Mission, Texas- In only their second year of competing in FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), Team 5960 “The Mighty Robo-Rangers” have advanced to the 2017 FIRST World Championship in Houston, TX. The team is competing against the Top 400 teams from the entire word at the FRC Championship. You may even be able to watch the team and their robot in competition. A livestream of the contests is available through, https://www.thebluealliance.com/. Preliminary schedules show the Robo-Rangers first match should happen at about 8:54 a.m. on Thursday, April 20. Other matches could follow at about every hour and a half through the rest of the competition day. They would be referred to as FRC 5960 or FRC Team 5960.
In 2016, the team competed in their first FRC Competition at the Alamo Regional in San Antonio, TX as Rookies. This year the team was graciously granted three grants that allowed them to compete in two Regional FRC events, Hub City Regional in Lubbock, TX & Alamo Regional in San Antonio, TX. The team is sponsored by the NASA Robotics Alliance Project, Argosy Foundation, and the Texas Workforce Commission. These three organization are part of the FIRST generous and extensive network of Fortune 500 corporations, educational and professional institutions, foundations, and individuals support of FIRST. Through their resources, the sponsorships provide and assist FIRST by inspiring young people to become the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professionals.
What is FIRST? FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. Based in Manchester, NH, the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills. FIRST inspires young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting Mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.
FIRST is More Than Robots. FIRST participation is proven to encourage students to pursue education and careers in STEM-related fields, inspire them to become leaders and innovators, and enhance their 21 st century work-life skills.
This year FRC Team 5960 “The Mighty Robo-Rangers” from Mission High School and Alton Memorial Jr. High competed in two FRC Regional events. The team first competed at the Hub City Regional in Lubbock, TX during Week 1 of the FRC Season. Their second competition was at the Alamo Regional in San Antonio, TX during Week 6 of the Season. Under strict rules, limited resources, and the guidance of volunteer mentors including engineers, teachers, business professionals, parents, alumni and more, teams of 25+ students have an intense six-week time-limit to build and program robots to perform challenging tasks against a field of competitors. They must also raise funds, design a team "brand," hone teamwork skills, and perform community outreach. In addition to learning valuable STEM and life skills, participants are eligible to apply for $50+ million in college scholarships.
Combining excitement of the sports with the rigors of science and technology. FIRST Robotics Competition is the Ultimate Sport for the Mind. High-school student’s participants call it “the hardest fun you’ll ever have.” Every year, the game challenge changes and each season ends with an exciting FIRST World Championship. Team’s industrial-size robots play a difficult field game against like-minded competitors. It’s as close to real-world engineering as a student can get.
Each January at the Kickoff, a new, challenging game is introduced. These exciting competitions combine the practical application of science and technology with the fun, intense energy and excitement of a championship-style sporting event. Teams are encouraged to display Gracious Professionalism® and to help other teams and cooperate while competing. This is known as Coopertition®. These are part of the Core Values of FIRST.
In 2017, FIRST Robotics Competition will reach 85,000 high-school students representing approximately 3,400 teams. Teams come from nearly every state in the United States, as well as many other countries. FIRST Robotics Competition teams will participate in 55 Regional Competitions, 80 District Competitions, and 10 District Championships. In addition, approximately 800 teams will qualify to go to one of the two FIRST Championships at the end of April 2017.
This year’s game was presented at the 2017 FIRST Robotics Competition Kickoff on Saturday, January 7, 2017 world-wide. FIRST® STEAMWORKSSM the 2017 FIRST Robotics Competition game, invites two adventure clubs from an era in which technology relied on steam power to prepare their airships for the ultimate long distance race. FIRST® STEAMWORKSSM has a STEAMPUNK theme and each three-team alliance prepares in three ways. Teams must “Build Steam Pressure”, “Start Rotors”, and “Prepare for Flight.” Each match begins with a 15-second autonomous period in which robots operate only on preprogrammed instructions. During the remaining 2 minutes and 15 seconds of the match, the teleoperated period, student drivers control robots. Teams on an alliance work together to build as much pressure and start as many rotors as possible – but they have to be sure they leave enough time to latch on to their airship before the end of the match.
At the 2017 Alamo Regional, Team 5960 “The Mighty Robo-Rangers” made team history by advancing into the Elimination Rounds as being selected by the Number 3 – Alliance Captain the Robo-Vikes Team 4206 from Nolan Catholic High School in Fort Worth, TX. The No. 3 Alliance was joined by Team 5572 – The Rosbots from Lee High School in San Antonio, TX. This No. 3 Alliance went through Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and eventually into the Finals as a very strong alliance. The No. 3 Alliance of Team 4206, 5572, and 5960 put up the highest scores of the tournament twice. The Finals Match went into a tie-breaker match in which the No. 3 Alliance finished the Alamo Regional as Regional Finalists against the No.1 Alliance. Team 5960 “The Mighty Robo-Rangers” won two awards at the Alamo Regional as Finalist and Wildcard Winners. This Wild-Card Award earned the team a spot at the FRC World Championship in Houston, TX against 400 Top Teams from the entire world on April 19 – 22, 2017. The FRC World Championships in Houston, TX is the first of two FRC Championships in the World. The second FRC World Championship will be held in St. Louis, MO on April 26 – 29, 2017. The FRC World Championships had to accommodate 800 Top Teams from the entire world and this was the first year the championship was divided into two competitions. Teams from North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia will compete at the Houston – FRC World Championship. Teams from North America, Europe, and Asia will compete at the St. Louis – FRC World Championship.
The Mighty Robo-Rangers – FRC 5960 is the first team in Mission Consolidated Independent School District (Mission CISD) to ever compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) level and advance to the FRC World Championship. They are also in the first in the Rio Grande Valley region to advance to the World Championship based on robot performance. Rookie Team 6754-The Trailbots from IDEA Edinburg is the only other Rio Grande Valley team competing at the FRC World Championship this year by winning the Rookie All-Star Award.
In a two-year span in FRC, The Mighty Robo-Rangers Team 5960 have been granted over $20,000 in grants from their title sponsors, NASA Robotics Alliance Project Program Growth Grant ($5000), Argosy Foundation Rookie Team Grant ($6000), First in Texas - Dell Grant ($3000), and First in Texas - Texas Workforce Commission Grant ($1500). The team earned a second grant from First in Texas – Texas Workforce Commission this year after qualifying to the FRC WORLD Championship at the Alamo Regional as Finalist and Wild-Card Winners. Texas Workforce Commission granted Team 5960 another $5000 to cover the registration fees to the World Championship in Houston, TX.
Team 5960 members are: Nancy Olvera, Priscilla Quintero, Vanessa Quintero, Kysela Garcia, Adamaris Sanchez, Robert Ramirez, Carlos Hernandez, Josue Silva, Brandon Balderas, Jesus Garza, Alan Castellanos, Miguel Garcia, Sebastian Ortiz, Damian Luna, Mario Marquez, Andres Osornio, Sebastian Luna, Efren Carrillo, Noe Pena, Angel Alanis, Cristian Navarro, Diego Garza, Nathaly Ramirez, Alexandra Garcia, Victoria Araujo, Victoria Ledezma, Lesley Adame, Bianca Cienega.
Team Coaches/Mentors are: Sammy Rivera, Robert Granados, Noe Pena, Lorena Lopez, Samantha Granados, David Bridgewater, Rosalva Gonzalez, and Damaris Rivera.
Pictured are the Might Robo-Rangers after qualifying for the world competitions.