On January 21, Dakota Adventist Academy swarmed with robots, students, and spectators for this year’s FIRST Inspires robotics competition. The school has hosted several robotics meets over the past three years which have grown from eight teams to 19 from around North and South Dakota, as well as Minnesota.
FIRST competitions are traditionally held on Saturdays, but DAA is happy to provide one of the venues for North Dakota’s qualifying competitions which allows the event to take place on a Friday. At the event, the senior class has stepped in to run the event. The upper classmen help set up the gymnasium arena, serve lunch, perform safety inspections on competing robots, and act as event referees.
F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an organization with the mission “to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders and innovators, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.”1 The organization provides a community that prepares young people for the future and the chance to earn scholarships, internships and other opportunities that create connections in a variety of careers.
Every year, FIRST presents a challenge to teams across the organization. This year’s theme was “Freight Frenzy” where the goal was to load “freight” into various storage facilities. Students are put to the test as they brainstorm solutions and then put their solutions into action for three different segments. The first segment is the autonomous round where the robot runs purely off a pre-programmed code. In the second segment teams pick up their game controller and remotely control their robot. The third and final segment is called “End Game”; teams choose to either park their robot or place their team marker on a designated spot. The team that earns the most points win the alliance rounds.
DAA’s team, the Tin Heads, was started in 2018 under the leadership of Peter Kenaston, the computer teacher and assistant boys’ dean. The team was first mentored by Bismarck’s Career Academy and later that school year competed and won in the Adventist robotics competition in Florida. At this event, the Tin Heads also won the Inspire Award, which is given to the team who shows gracious professionalism, sets an example by being a role model, and who is a strong ambassador for FIRST programs.
In 2019, under the leadership of vo-tech teacher Ryan Peterson and with the assistance of Tracy Peterson, Dakota Adventist Academy began to host the North Dakota state qualifier. The team took a break in 2020 but continued to host the event which had begun to gain popularity.
This year, the team is back with an additional mentor, alumnus Jaelyn Pickett, who was an original member and now assists with programming. The Tin Heads are excited to return to Florida at the end of April and compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge.
FIRST Robotics has become an outlet for DAA students to be involved and witness to the community through thoughtfulness, competence and hard work ethics.
- FIRSTinspires.org
