While some athletic teams or other school activities oftentimes get more notice, the Mission Bay High robotics team puts in its fair share of time and effort, creating some great innovations along the way.
In existence for seven years, the team was founded in 2010 by a small group of enthusiastic students. At its start, the team had a mere eight members and one mentor. As of this year, the team (4160 “The RoBucs”) is comprised of 15 students, accompanied by three mentors. According to Alex Cannon, engineering instructor at the school and lead mentor for the robotics team, the squad has diversified and changed as new members join and old move on. “The core values and ideas have remained strong,” Cannon commented. “We strive to educate, encourage, and inspire students from all walks of life to excel in the field of robotics, and as a result learn the valuable life lessons of teamwork and leadership.”
Cannon noted that Mission Bay High has other schools in San Diego that it competes with, such as the 1538 Holy Cows of High Tech High and the 1266 Devil Duckies from Madison High School. “In fact, the FIRST Robotics Competition not only includes San Diego schools, but all other states, countries and nations willing to volunteer their high school in the competition,” Cannon said. The RoBucs is currently competing in the U.S. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) annual robotics tournament for high school students, which takes place around the nation and the world through May.
As with anything one does in life, learning from it tends to be a positive thing.
According to Cannon, some of the educational tools that students learn from being on the team include 3D printing, computer aid design, coding, and machine shop education. “We teach how to work with our own laser cutter, mill, and lathe,” Cannon noted.
For those MBH students interested in joining the team, they can reach out to Cannon at: [email protected] or come into Room 165 at lunch or after school to sign up for robotics. Donations accepted
Competing in the FIRST competition means spending money. As such, the Mission Bay High team has an expected operating budget of $11,000 this year including $9,000 in registration alone. The remaining funds will go toward robot construction, travel expenses, and team gear. If anyone is interested in helping to sponsor the team, it is certainly for a good cause. Past sponsors have included Qualcomm, JC Penney, and NASA, with donation amounts ranging from $500 to $6,000. Sponsoring is an excellent opportunity to get positive name recognition and encouraging the development of the next generation engineers, scientists, and technology experts. All donations are tax-deductible and can either be mailed directly to FIRST or to Mission Bay High School using the following instructions:
Payable: FIRST Finance – Team 4160 Address: 200 Bedford St Manchester, NH 03101
EIN # 22-2990908 or Payable: Mission Bay High School Note: Engineering Club Address: 2475 Grand Ave. San Diego, CA 92109 Tax ID # 95-6002781.