CRHS Robotics Team Competes at National Invitational
The Cinco Ranch High School Robotics Team 624, known as CRyptonite, recently advanced to the semi-finals during the Indiana Robotics Invitational (IRI) held in Indianapolis. The competition was part of the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotics program. Selected for the first time to participate in this event, CRyptonite climbed the individual team rankings in the qualifying rounds to the number two spot out of 70 top high school robotics teams from across the U.S. and Canada. In one of those qualifying rounds, their alliance scored 136 points, setting a world record for this year’s Rebound Rumble game.
In multiple matches, the team also completed a rare triple balance of three robots on a tipping bridge, highlighting CRyptonite’s robot design, along with the student drive team’s strategy and skills. “With a superior performance, we made a tremendous impression on the other teams, particularly as a first-time competitor at the IRI,” says Mike Outlaw, robotics booster club president and build mentor. “And based on solid performances all year long, culminating with the IRI, we’ve cemented Team 624’s reputation as a worldwide top contender. We’ve also established national recognition that Cinco Ranch High School and Katy ISD are home to a world-class high school robotics program, which has produced one of the top robotics teams in the nation.”
The IRI marks the final competition for the eight seniors on Team CRyptonite, including three members of the leadership team: Elizabeth Waters, president; Marc Outlaw, build vice president; and Megan Woods, public relations vice president. The team’s other graduating seniors are: Chris Boucher, Matt Deom, Caroline Guardia, Rob Jaska, and Kazuya Konada.
Founded by inventor Dean Kamen, FIRST was created to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an annual competition that helps students discover the rewards and excitement of science, engineering, and technology. The 2012 season included over 2,400 teams. FRC combines the excitement of sports with science and technology to create a unique varsity sport for the mind. Participants are eligible to receive nearly $14 million in scholarships from some of the finest science and engineering schools in the country.
Since its founding in 2000, the CRHS robotics team, CRyptonite, has achieved national recognition in all areas of FRC competition. Team highlights from 2012 include advancing to the divisional semi-finals of the FRC World Championship and the Indiana Robotics Invitational, winning the Bayou Regional Qualifying Event, and advancing to the finals at the Lone Star Regional Qualifying Event, along with capturing awards for quality, innovation, and industrial safety. This has been possible through the generous financial and mentor support of the team’s corporate sponsors.
To learn more about FIRST Robotics Competition visit usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc. For more information on Team 624, visit team624.org/. For a video overview of the Rebound Rumble game, visit www.youtube.com/user/frcteamsglobal.
