Green Machine competitors ready their robot during a FIRST Robotics competition.
Submitted photo
Greenwood Middle School is hosting the fifth and sixth qualifying tournaments of the FIRST Tech Challenge this weekend.
The 2023-2024 competition season challenge is CENTERSTAGE presented by RTX. This is the third year GMS is hosting an FTC qualifying tournament; it is the first time they will host a Sunday tournament. The qualifying tournaments will be this Saturday and Sunday.
The public is welcome to attend opening ceremonies at 10:15 a.m. and matches will begin at 10:45 a.m. There will be an awards ceremony at approximately 5 p.m. The tournaments will follow the same schedule both days. Admission is free and attendees come and go as they please to attend all or part of the competition.
There will be 32 teams competing on Saturday, and 33 teams competing on Sunday. Included in these qualifying tournaments, there will be teams from all over Indiana consisting of students in seventh through 12th grade. Greenwood Community Schools are represented by two robotics teams, the high school team 8791 Green Machine, and the middle school team 8793 Wired Woodmen.
Just like in National Hot Rod Association drag racing, admission includes access to the pits, but safety glasses are required. This access allows you to see the students in action making modifications or servicing their robot between matches. Ask them any questions you may have.
This year, the challenge, CENTERSTAGE presented by RTX, provides multiple tasks for an alliance to complete and earn points. Points are awarded when transferring pixels from multiple locations on the playing field and placing them on your alliance’s backdrop, launching drones (paper airplanes) into the landing zones outside the playing field, and suspending the robot on the main structure in the field.
An alliance consists of two robots working as a team to score points. During a match, two alliances compete against each other.
FIRST stands for, For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology. FIRST stresses that teams need to demonstrate gracious professionalism throughout the season including competitions. Gracious Professionalism is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.
To find out more about FIRST Indiana Robotics check out their website firstindianarobotics.org/.
This story is by Magdalena Hite, a seventh-grader at Greenwood Middle School.
