16 robotics teamThe Rosemont High School robotics team, “Team 5274,” traveled to St. Louis Missouri from April 26th to May 2nd to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) World Championships. Team 5274 earned a berth at the event by winning the 2016 Sacramento regional qualifying event held in Davis at the end of March. There were 8 divisions of 75 teams vying for the coveted World Champion banner; only 3 would come home with the prize.

 

By the luck of the draw, team 5274 ended up in the Newton division, reportedly the strongest group of the event, and fared very well. The team went 5-5 over the two-day qualification matches and turned the heads of many of the top teams. Ramil Custodio’s skillful defensive driving skills frustrated many teams, Josiah Sidhu and his build team prepared a durable, versatile, and fast robot, and overcame significant electronic issues to help the team finish strong. Tina Luong’s business team continues to work hard to find sustainable funding that keeps the lights on, and everyone on the team made friends with peers from all over the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, China, and Israel.

 

The following quote from one of the team members says it all: “Nothing could have totally prepared us for the events that awaited us in St. Louis, and nothing could be a substitute for the time we spent at the FRC World Championships. It truly was a one of a kind experience that we were lucky to have”.

 

FIRST is more than robots, as the team also visited the Gateway Arch and the eclectic City Museum to bookend their experience. The FRC World Championships were a life changing experience for the students, the coach, and the “Mom’s” (which included Dad’s too).