Milford robotics team wins FIRST award

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Loretta Jackson photo
Mechanical Mayhem robotics team members Connor Houghton, left, of Amherst, and Dan Chamberland (coach), of Nashua, inspect the team's robot before its performance against some of the machines from 50 other teams that participated in the 2013 BAE Systems Granite State Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. The team won two high honors at the competition, held at Manchester's Verizon Wireless Arena Feb. 28-March 2.

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Timothy Avery courtesy photo


Members of Mechanical Mayhem, an award-winning, Milford-based robotics team, include, back row from left: Morghan O'Neil, Bill Gray (coach), Bryan Rose, Meera Nair, Anthony Edvalson, Chris O'Neil (mentor), Penee O'Neil (mentor), Josh LaLancette, Bob LaLancette (mentor), Ben Henry, Ken Streeter (coach), Aaron Peterson, Nathan Gray (mentor) and Connor Houghton, seen here with teammates, middle row from left, Toby Garcia, Faith Streeter, Charlotte Gray (mentor), Olivia Edvalson, David Gray, Ben Avery, Jon Heinzl and Kaileb O'Neil, along with fellow members, front row from left, Beth Garcia, Nick Garcia, Nathan Streeter (mentor), Rachel Avery, Maxwell Landry and Caleb Avery.

Enlarge,

Loretta Jackson photo
Mechanical Mayhem robotics team members Connor Houghton, left, of Amherst, and Dan Chamberland (coach), of Nashua, inspect the team's robot before its performance against some of the machines from 50 other teams that participated in the 2013 BAE Systems Granite State Regional FIRST Robotics Competition. The team won two high honors at the competition, held at Manchester's Verizon Wireless Arena Feb. 28-March 2.

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Award-winning Team 1519, “Mechanical Mayhem,” is a Milford-based robotics team comprised of 21 home-schooled students, high school students and other students from public and private schools in 30 different towns, along with coaches and mentors. The team took the spotlight at the 2013 BAE Systems Granite State Regional FIRST – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology Robotics Competition – held Feb. 28-March 2 at Manchester’s Verizon Wireless Arena.

Representatives of Mechanical Mayhem were brought to the center of the playing field in front of an audience of thousands of fans, educators, industry leaders and guests who saw the team awarded both of two possible honors as part of the “FIRST Dean’s List Finalist Awards.” The awards were accepted by Aaron Peterson and Jackson Volante, both home-schooled high school students from Merrimack.

The honors ceremony also recognized other teams for design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship, creativity, spirit and partnership and other valued traits. The highest award of the competition, The Regional Chairman’s Award, went to Team 131, Team CHAOS, of Manchester, a team cited as a substantial model for future teams.

50-plus teams

The massive gathering of more than 50 teams and hundreds of students from New Hampshire, Maine, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Canada had a goal during this year’s “Ultimate Ascent” robotics game. The quest was to design and build in advance and, during the event, manipulate team-constructed robots so the remotely operated machines whizzing around the playing field scored as many points as possible by shooting their load of flying discs into four goal areas during a lengthy series of two-minute matches.

Additionally, alliances of teams later earned extra points by having their robots climb a metal-framed pyramid in the center of the field.

The FIRST BAE systems Granite State Regional Competition has been sponsored by BAE since the competition’s inception 11 years ago. A multitude of additional businesses and individuals support the effort, one which generates a positive attitude toward math, science, teamwork and the possibility of pursuing future careers in science and technology.

The Mechanical Mayhem team’s next destination was the North Carolina Regional on March 13-16, followed in April by the FIRST Championship in St. Louis, Missouri, should the team win in North Carolina. Results were not available at press time.

For more information on the 2013 BAE Systems Granite State Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, visit www.usfirst.org. For information on Mechanical Mayhem visit www.mechanicalmayhem.org.