AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) -Tomorrow, February 5, 2022, AmTech is hosting the Panhandle Championships of First Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics competition.
The event will be from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and will allow teams to highlight their robotics skills.
The competition is located at the AmTech Robot-Drone Coliseum, 3601 Plains Blvd in Amarillo, TX.
AmTech will host a total of 26 teams from schools across the Panhandle.
The schools that are competing are: Vernon Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Bushland High School, Canadian High School and Middle School, Dimmitt High School, Kelton High School, Nazareth High School, Pampa High School, Perryton High School, Randall High School, Sunray High School, West Texas High School, Hart High School, and AmTech Career Academy.
Schools can create multiple teams to represent their school.
Don Bell, the Dimmit High School, and Hart High School robotics teacher and FTC Coach believes that it will be a tight competition tomorrow.
“It’s a very competitive district with robotics,” says Bell.
Bell shares how his teams prepare and practice for the robotics contest.
“Our team discusses what we need to do on the robot, whether it’s driving, picking up or retrieving the balls, or work on the programming; we talk strategy and what it is going to take to move on to the next level and what we are going to have to do as far as points scored to move on to the regional tournament,” says Bell.
Peyton Thompson, a member of the Bomb City Bots, AmTech’s robot team is tasked with the job of driving the robot.
“A big part of our strategy is picking up the blocks and putting them into the alliance shipping hub, that’s the big fountain looking one,” says Thompson.
Darrin Davis, the AmTech robotics teacher and FTC Coach, says that his team has been eager to practice for the competition.
“These students and team members are so committed to this team and just yesterday I had two kids begging their parents to bring them out in the winter storm had just so they could get up here and practice and get ready for this competition. They’re amazing,” says Davis.
Lauren Miller, the president for AmTech’s Bomb City Bots says that being flexible is key for the contest.
“We try to come up with the best possible plan to execute during the competition and during the competition it could go completely wrong, and we just have to be prepared for that as well,” says Miller.
Larry Garcia, the Director of the North Panhandle Team, believes that through setbacks this school year AmTech’s Bomb City Bots have persevered.
“Through the entire season there has been a series of setbacks, not being able to get different parts that we need to advance our robot where we would like for it to be, but these kids are self-motivated and self-driven despite the setbacks. They are very internally motivated,” says Garcia.
Garcia believes that by being involved in robotics students will allow students to have fun.
“It makes for a very lengthy long day, but it’s a lot of hard work that has gone in and it’s the hardest fun that you will ever have,” says Garcia.
Davis explains that students can show off their robot skills with their alliance partner.
“Teams will be put into an alliance. You have 5 matches each competition and you have an alliance partner, you have about 20 minutes before each round to get with your alliance partner on a practice field and see what your partner can do and what your robot can do,” says Davis.
Thompson is excited for the future of the Bomb City Bots.
“We currently only have one robot, and we plan to have three by next year. As of right now as the driver I have to be to be practicing with the robot the whole time with whoever our alliance partners are; I am excited to have the experience of going to district because this is my first year and first robotics,” says Thompson.
Miller encourages students of all ages in the community to attend the contest.
“If anyone is in elementary school or middle school and is interested in being in robotics, this is an excellent program to be in and I encourage anybody to come by tomorrow and watch us,” says Miller.
AmTech Academy is excited to host their first FTC competition in their Drone-Robot Coliseum.
“We are encouraging everyone in the Panhandle to come and attend and check out AmTech Career Academy and all that it has to offer. We will be having tours at the facility if anyone is interested and we are encouraging STEM careers and STEM opportunities for our students,” says Garcia.
SMART Technologies, an international film crew, will be filming the event in addition to AmTech media arts students.
SMART Technologies will compose a series of videos about AmTech Academy and their facilities.
The event is free and open to the community to attend.
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