Donations needed to fund robotics team

For the past two years, the Brainerd High School Robotics team has given students an opportunity to develop real world engineering skills as they work together to construct a robot, using computer, electronics and construction materials. They then compete against other high school robotics teams at the FIRST Robotics Competition at the University of Minnesota in early April.

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But the team's two-year funding, seed money supplied by the University of Minnesota, ran out this year and a national grant the state competition anticipated to receive to help fund teams didn't materialize.

So BHS robotics team members need to raise $10,000 by mid-December in order to compete this year in the annual competition, which starts Jan. 9.

Brainerd High School Warriors Robotics Team members checked out the robot they made for last year's state FIRST Robotics competition at the University of Minnesota. The team needs to raise $10,000 by mid-December or it won't be able to compete this spring. Brainerd Dispatch/Jodie Tweed» Purchase reprints of this photo.

The teens have been reaching out to area businesses for sponsorship but concede it's been tough in this economy.

"This economy is not so great for donations," said Brian Kingsley, a BHS senior and in his third year on the team. "These people get sports, band and choir, everyone has multiple people who want money. At one point, it's too much."

Kingsley said he and his team members learned a lot in the previous two years and were excited to return this year and create an efficient robot. The team won't get the specifications for the robot until Jan. 9 when it is announced in a Webcast for all FIRST Robotics teams, nationwide and internationally. At that point the teams have six weeks to design and build a robot to bring to the state competition.

The 20 team members work together under a tight six-week deadline, designing a team "brand," and building and programming their robot to perform specific tasks for the competition. Teamwork is an important part of the project.

Many of the team members said they plan to go on to college and major in robotics, computer programming or an engineering-related field, utilizing the skills they acquired on the robotics team.

Brian Bordwell, the team's adviser and a BHS career and technical education teacher, said several of his previous team members are now in college studying to become engineers.

Team members work with engineers and other adult mentors from the community to build the robots. Central Lakes College engineering students also will mentor this year's team if they're able to raise the funds to compete.

Brad Wadsten, a local Realtor whose son, Mike, is a team member, serves as a mentor.

"It gives them a chance to work together with people with a like value system, not unlike a football team," Wadsten explained.

Wadsten said the team serves as a feeder program for collegiate engineering programs, giving high school students the experience they'll need to someday compete in the global workforce.

Bordwell said the team initially had a deadline of Dec. 4 to raise the $10,000 but the state program has given them an extension until mid-December to raise the money. They need $5,000 for the competition's entry fee, $2,500 for food, lodging and transportation to the competition and $2,500 for necessary parts for the robot. They plan to salvage as many parts as possible from last year's robot.

So far the team has raised $3,000. Team members have been visiting area businesses to ask for sponsorship and are available to give presentations on their team.

For more information, to hear a presentation by team members or to donate to the team, contact Bordwell at 454-6215 or via e-mail at brian.bordwell@ isd181.org or brainerd robotics@gmail.com. Or visit the team's Web site at http://brainerd-robotics.org.

JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch. com or 855-5858.