Imagine being in high school and getting the opportunity to design and build robots that compete head-to-head in a high-energy environment. Thanks to the support of the Sierra Chapter of ACEC-CA and their backing of STEM-focused school programs, students from the Wolfpack Robotics Team at Cosumnes Oaks High School get to do just that.
Through FIRST® Robotics Competition, high school students are paired with adult mentors (primarily engineers and teachers) to design and build the robots. Jerry Pascoe, GE, of SAGE Engineers, Inc. is one of the dedicated mentors, and giving his time and experience to the Wolfpack Robotics Team along with the parents. “It’s more than building robots and competing,” says Pascoe. “The students are also developing a work ethic and seeing how a positive attitude contributes to overcoming obstacles.”
The 2018 season for the Wolfpack Robotics Team has been their most successful yet, despite losing several key students to graduation. Underclassmen stepped up to fill vacant leadership roles, which helped them gain confidence in their abilities, and developed a sense of ownership in their contributions. And, thanks to sponsors, the team experienced its largest budget to-date, enabling the team to build an off-season practice robot, build custom pit carts, purchase a travel trailer to store and haul the robot and equipment, and obtain two CNC routers to manufacture custom parts.

About the Competition

The 2018 season required teams to build robots that could collect and deliver cubes to scales and power up stations during 2 ½ minute head-to-head battles with other robots. Robots operated independently following preprogrammed instructions for the first fifteen seconds of the match. Toward the end of the round, the robots had to lift themselves off the ground for a few seconds to earn extra points.