Green Team 885: FIRST 2008

Robotics Is Up and Running!

On January 5, the Green Team 885, Vermont’s oldest FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics team, hosted its annual kick-off meeting at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph. The team watched the much-anticipated presentation of this year’s robotics challenge, "Overdrive," via NASA broadcast TV.

Since then, the team members have brainstormed ideas for the design of their robot and decided to further investigate two possibilities, one with a placer arm and one with a catapult type launcher. "Overdrive" will require each of the FIRST robotics teams to design and construct a robot within six weeks that is capable of completing all of the tasks of the challenge.

Each team will transport their robots to a regional competition, whereby two alliances (one red, one blue) are formed. Each alliance is comprised of three robotics teams and works together to maneuver their robots around the competition floor in a counterclockwise direction, much like a race track. Teams score points by moving 40-inch diameter balls over the finish line on the floor or hurling the balls over the 6-ft. high overpass located in the middle of the track.

More than 37,500 students, on 1,500 teams from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, the U.K., as well as every state in the United States, are participating in FIRST competitions. The Green Team 885 will be competing at the BAE Regional Competition in Manchester, N.H.

Green Team 885 is sponsored by Vermont Technical College, Norwich University, CPOW, National Life Group, DMS Machining & Fabrication, General Dynamics, Mansfield Heliflight, Inc., The Tarrant Foundation, John Abele, Connor Contracting, Inc., and the Randolph and Northfield Rotary Clubs, as well as a number of local machinists and engineers who donate their time and talents to the student members.

This team is comprised of middle and high school students from communities throughout central Vermont. They are actively recruiting new student members, and welcome college students and adults to work as mentors for the team. Green Team 885 meets at VTC in Randolph Center every Thursday and Friday night and on Saturday and Sundays.

For more about The Green Team 885, visit the student designed and administered website www.thegreenteam885.org.

To find out how to join or support the team, call John Connor at 802-229-1416.

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