What is PHS Robotics?
The Robotics team is not like many other PHS activities. The team is run like a business with different business units. Our product is students with an understanding of the importance of cooperative and collaborative work and a willingness to work hard while having fun.
How do we do it?
We participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition, or FRC. Each season teams across the world are presented with difficult challenges in the form of a game that is played using a robot. Each season the game is different and each season the robot is different. A new robot is designed and built for each season. When the game is revealed in January, the students work with our dedicated mentors to strategize on how we will play the game, how to manipulate the game pieces and how to win at our competitions. Together we develop conceptual mechanisms which are then prototyped and improved, or abandoned for a different approach. Then the mechanisms are integrated into a robot. We compete that robot against approximately 50 other teams at each of our regional events, and if successful at the Championship event.
What are the Business Units?
We call our different business units 'sub-teams'. Each sub-team has a number of tasks that they perform. Students are allowed, and encouraged, to participate in multiple sub-teams.
- Business sub-team
- Constructing and competing a robot costs a significant amount of money. Since the school district does not fund the team with tax dollars, the money used is all obtained through sponsor donations and grants. We have a business 'sub-team' that undertakes the task of coordinating the team's fundraising efforts.
- Our competition events have various awards that the teams attempt to win. The business sub-team manages the submissions for those awards.
- Community Outreach is important to our team. We help out in the community if a number of ways including having our students mentor younger students in other STEM activities and helping other youth focused groups. The business team coordinates these outreach activities.
- We produce various marketing materials throughout the year. The business sub-team designs and produces fliers, pamphlets and other types of material that is used to promote the team, fundraising events and outreach.
- CAD sub-team
- The CAD sub-team uses concepts and designs created by other sub-teams to generate computer models. These models are the guide for physical fabrication of robot parts.
- Fabrication sub-team
- It is difficult to list everything that the Fabrication sub-team does. In a nutshell, they work out the concepts of how the robot will play the game. This includes all the various mechanisms, the integration and of course the physical construction of the robot. While there are many off the shelf components that are used in the robot, much of the construction is done using parts that are fabricated in the PHS shops.
- Electrical sub-team
- Robots need motors and actuators to perform the required tasks. The Electrical sub-team ensures that the motors turn, the pneumatic systems operate and sensors sense.
- Code sub-team
- Robots are complex devices. After all the fabrication and assembly is finished, after all the electrical and pneumatics systems are wired and plumbed, what can the robot do? Nothing. Until there is code written to make everything do what it was designed to do. They write the programs that take the driver's input and transform it into robot actions. And so much more.
- Strategy sub-team
- Each season's game is unique. Each event has different teams that we are allied with and that we play against. The Strategy sub-team works to ensure that our team knows how to approach each match that we compete in. This is includes knowing the rules, watching the other teams and coordinating data so that our drive team can plan on how to play a particular match.
- Drive sub-team
- Our drive team are where the rubber meets the road. They are the ones who are playing the game at our competitions.
What are the benefits for the students?
- Students do not need any experience. We accept students of all skill levels.
- Students get real world experience while learning new skills and building self confidence while working with their peers and adult mentors who are professionals in their fields.
- Students learn critical life skills such as Communication, Leadership, Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution.
- Students learn and practice Gracious Professionalism.
- A number of schools offer scholarships to students who participated in the FIRST Robotics Competition.
- There are multiple scholarships available through FIRST.
What are the time requirements for the students?
The Coaches and Mentors understand the difficulties in balancing multiple interests and academic studies. We encourage students to participate in other activities as well as Robotics, but insist that they remain focused on their studies. With that in mind, very few meetings are considered mandatory. However, students who put more time into the program often get more benefits from it.
During the Pre-Season which is September through December, we typically meet about once per week. Meetings are about 2.5 hours long. There is a Saturday meeting where we train students on the proper and safe way to use equipment. This training is considered mandatory for all students, no mater which sub-team they want to take part in. There are fundraising and outreach events that we ask students to participate in if available.
The build and competition season, on the other hand, runs from January through April. This is a busy time. We have meetings weeknights after school. A typical weeknight meeting will run from 6pm until 9pm. We often have 'Early Shift' meetings where students can work on their tasks immediately after school. We also have Saturday meetings which typically run from 9:00am until 4:00pm. All in all, there are over 20 hours per week of available time, however only 5 hours/week are required to remain on the team.
The team typically attends one regional event that includes travel and overnight stays. In order for a student to travel with the team, they must participate in a minimum of 40* hours of meetings during the Build and Competition season. Requirements for traveling to a championship event may vary.
* Requirements may differ for various sub-teams.
During the Pre-Season which is September through December, we typically meet about once per week. Meetings are about 2.5 hours long. There is a Saturday meeting where we train students on the proper and safe way to use equipment. This training is considered mandatory for all students, no mater which sub-team they want to take part in. There are fundraising and outreach events that we ask students to participate in if available.
The build and competition season, on the other hand, runs from January through April. This is a busy time. We have meetings weeknights after school. A typical weeknight meeting will run from 6pm until 9pm. We often have 'Early Shift' meetings where students can work on their tasks immediately after school. We also have Saturday meetings which typically run from 9:00am until 4:00pm. All in all, there are over 20 hours per week of available time, however only 5 hours/week are required to remain on the team.
The team typically attends one regional event that includes travel and overnight stays. In order for a student to travel with the team, they must participate in a minimum of 40* hours of meetings during the Build and Competition season. Requirements for traveling to a championship event may vary.
* Requirements may differ for various sub-teams.
What are the Fees?
There is a $90 team fee as well as a $10 activities fee that is charged by the district. These fees are collected via a students Skyward account.
Fees for travel vary depending on a number of factors but are typically in the range of $250 and $300. These fees are collected via check or cash. There is no fee to attend the local regional event held in Milwaukee.
Lunch at the Saturday meetings during the Build and Competition season is provided by parent volunteers. Due to various dietary restrictions, the students are not required to participate in the provided lunch. Students who do participate are asked to contribute to the cost of the lunch. Fees are managed by the parent volunteers who are coordinating the lunches.
Fees for travel vary depending on a number of factors but are typically in the range of $250 and $300. These fees are collected via check or cash. There is no fee to attend the local regional event held in Milwaukee.
Lunch at the Saturday meetings during the Build and Competition season is provided by parent volunteers. Due to various dietary restrictions, the students are not required to participate in the provided lunch. Students who do participate are asked to contribute to the cost of the lunch. Fees are managed by the parent volunteers who are coordinating the lunches.
What are the registration requirement?
The School District requires that students register for all Athletics and Activities on their registration website. This includes the District's Random Drug Test release form.
FIRST requires all students to be signed up on their website and there is a consent form that a parent/guardian must accept in order for a student to participate in any Official FIRST event. Details on how to create a parent and student account on the FIRST website can be found on our Sign Up Checklist page.
FIRST requires all students to be signed up on their website and there is a consent form that a parent/guardian must accept in order for a student to participate in any Official FIRST event. Details on how to create a parent and student account on the FIRST website can be found on our Sign Up Checklist page.
What supplies does the student need to provide?
Students are required to provide their own safety glasses. All students are required to bring safety glasses to all meetings no matter which sub-team they are participating in. Anytime anyone enters the shop areas while tools are being used, safety glasses are required.
While in the shop areas, everyone is required to wear appropriate footwear. That means no open toe or open heal shoes. No flip-flops or sandals. Tennis shoes or boots are recommended. Safety toed footwear is not required, but some people choose to have the extra protection.
During the fabrication process, there are sharp and hot pieces of material being created. Students who spend a significant amount of time in the shops must wear long pants.
While in the shop areas, everyone is required to wear appropriate footwear. That means no open toe or open heal shoes. No flip-flops or sandals. Tennis shoes or boots are recommended. Safety toed footwear is not required, but some people choose to have the extra protection.
During the fabrication process, there are sharp and hot pieces of material being created. Students who spend a significant amount of time in the shops must wear long pants.
Sign Up Checklist
If you are interested in signing up for the team, please visit our Sign Up Checklist page.