The Robotics Club is gearing up for build season.
Team 100 is a robotics team comprised of students from three schools– Carlmont, Woodside, and Sequoia High Schools. Originally a Woodside club started back in 1995, the club has expanded to 43 members in total, only six of which are girls.
Junior Sydney Salzman, the logistics lead of the team, joined when she was in eighth grade after falling in love with the energy at her brother’s robotic competitions.
Robotics Club has a different dynamic than traditional school clubs. Instead of doing work at club meetings during lunch, they work diligently at Woodside after school, where the machine shop is located.
“We have team meetings on Thursday nights, and work sessions on Saturdays during the bulk of the year. During the six weeks of ‘build season,’ though, it’s pretty much all day, every day,” said junior Doug Muller.
And build season is coming up soon.
“[Jan. 4] is the start of this year’s build season. On that day we receive information about this year’s challenge, the rules for the game, and start the design process,” said junior Matthew Allen.
Allen, a member of the mechanics team, explained that when designing the robot he uses SolidWorks software, and the building action happens soon after.
But the team hasn’t been sitting and waiting for build season. Since the beginning of the school year, they have competed in three off-season competitions, and placed fourth out of 30 teams during a competition at Madera High School.
Robotics Club is unique in that it gives team members hands-on experience with engineering, communication, teamwork, business management, and of course, science, technology, engineering, and mathematic (S.T.E.M.) education.
“[Robotics] gives you resources and connections to the technology world you won’t get anywhere else. You make friends and learn teamwork and create truly remarkable things. And there’s a job for everyone, even if you’re not into the robot,” said Salzman.
The club won the San Diego Regional in 2010 and hopes to do well in regionals this year which could take them to nationals.
