Ballard High School’s Vikings Robotics team is one of 100 teams competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition at the Qwest Field Event Center next week and they're poised to be a strong contender.

The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges students under guidance of professional mentors to design and build a robot to contend in competitions that measure its effectiveness, the power of teamwork and the determination of students.

After irreparable technology malfunctions plagued the team’s robot last year, the Vikings are confident their hard work and engineering know-how will land them in the top eight at the regional competition March 17th through 19th and secure a spot at the national competition in St. Louis next month.
 
Since mid-January, Vikings Robotics has been working tirelessly to design and build a robot capable of competing in a game called “Logo Motion,” where teams go head-to-head on a 27-by-54-foot field with poles, driving their robots to earn points by hanging as many different shaped rings on the poles as possible. The robot will also deploy a mini bot to climb vertical poles for a chance to earn additional points.
 
FIRST aims to bring the excitement of a sporting event to science and technology via robotics competitions.  It inspires young people to take an interest in science and technology. In fact, 55% of FIRST Robotics Competition participants pursue degrees in engineering or science, compared to only 28% for those without FIRST experience. Vikings Robotics is no exception – senior students intend to study areas such as mechanical engineering and computer programming at colleges across the country next fall.

For more information about Vikings Robotics, visit www.ballardrobotics.org.
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