If you ever happen to be walking down the hallway at school, be careful for Bob. He is noisy and, at times, seems to be careening down the hall in the most haphazard fashion. Some would say he doesn't really have a mind of his own, while others would say he is easily manipulated. Most find him charming.
Bob is the school robot.
Robots like Bob are an increasingly common sight in public schools. Around 24.8 million schools worldwide have a robotics club or class, including ours. Our robotics team, Copper Country Cats, plays and competes in tournaments all around Michigan.
Robotics is a branch of engineering and science that involves robot conception, design, manufacture, and operation. The idea of robotics has been around since the mid-1900s and hasn't decreased in popularity since. So many people have been captivated by the production of robots, and building them has become a norm in schools worldwide.
Our team spends the year building, coding, and controlling a robot that will represent our small school in the large state of Michigan. Our coach, Mr. Chris Schuldt, is steadily preparing his rookies for this year's games. "Our younger teammates need to learn and build on their individual coding and building skills; when the perimeters drop, we want to hit the ground running, " Mr. Schuldt reports.
The Copper Country Cats is still a relatively new team, having only been around since November 2022. Because of this, Coach Schuldt intends to change and approach games differently this year, using their newfound knowledge to be more prepared and confident for later in the season.
They plan to come home with the gold this season and show Michigan they have what it takes to win it all.
"Robotics is a useful skill and one that could be beneficial to our area, especially given our close proximity to Michigan Tech," said our co-coach, Mr. Ware." It has been great to see so many new young members join up this year and to work with Mr. Schuldt."