Code Red Robotics, Ithaca High School’s FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics team has begun its 25th season! On Saturday, January 4, the team met in York Lecture Hall at IHS to watch the live reveal of this year's game!
“Seeing the whole team together celebrating the start of the season was super invigorating!” says Jennifer Zhao, President, “I can't wait to see what this season has in store for us.”
Each year, every FIRST game is based on a common theme, this year it is DIVE, an exploration into the ocean, Earth’s most complex and diverse ecosystem! This year’s FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) game, Reefscape, mimics the harmful effects algae blooms have on coral reefs. Teams must remove large rubber balls (standing in for algae) from the reef structure in the middle and launch it into the collection zone or “barge”. Teams may also pick up and place small PVC pipes, or “coral polyps”, on the reef. FIRST values teamwork above everything else, and all matches are played in teams of three.
“The new game seems really fun and interesting,” says Celene Sahoo, Code Red Treasurer, “I can’t wait to see what innovative ideas our team comes up with this build season!”
Saturday, January 4 was the official start of Code Red’s build season. For the next seven weeks, students will be working together to design, program, fabricate, and assemble the robot. Unfortunately, the team's machining capabilities will be severely limited due to a renovation project taking place in the IHS technology department. The team is currently set up in temporary classrooms, and they hope to outsource some machining needs to local businesses to support their efforts. In order to manage the vast amount of work that goes into creating a 125 pound robot, students split themselves into different sub-teams, each focusing on its own crucial part of the building process. The students of Code Red benefit from a great group of adult mentors from around the community to help guide them with their designs and answer any questions they may have. The team will be participating in two competitions this year–the Finger Lakes Regional in Rochester, NY (March 13-15) and the Tech Valley Regional in Albany, NY (March 27-29).
Every year Code Red holds a STEM Open House. They invite STEM-based businesses and organizations from around the Ithaca community to come participate. This event brings in hundreds of kids and their families to experience hands-on STEAM-related games and activities– free of charge! Groups such as the Sciencenter, the Cornell Society of Women Engineers, and other technology clubs at the middle and high school level set up booths, interactive demonstrations, and experiments for the attendees to take part in. The open house is one of hundreds of ways Code Red engages and connects with the community, as well as fostering the younger generation's love of STEM. This year it will take place on Saturday, February 8, from 1-4 p.m. in the Ithaca High School. The open house is an amazing educational opportunity for all kids within and beyond the Ithaca community.
“It’s definitely my favorite project our team does," Joyce Spears, Community Outreach Coordinator, expressed. "It’s so rewarding watching all of our planning and set-up pay off, and the kids have so much fun!”
Code Red is led by:
Jennifer Zhao, President
Victor Guimbretiere, Vice President/Build Team Manager
Celene Sahoo, Treasurer
Jingying Xu, Administrator
Carly Hare, Public Relations Officer
Joyce Spears, Community Outreach Coordinator
Abraham Elia, Rookie Engagement Director
FIRST Team Code Red Robotics thanks its sponsors for continued support: BAE Systems, Cornell Bowers College of Computing & Information Science, Cornell College of Engineering, Cornell Institute for Computational Sustainability, Menlo Microsystems, Vector Magnetics, Duthie Orthodontics, The IHS Class of 1951, Sciarabba Walker, Tetra Tech, BorgWarner Morse TEC, ICSD, ICSD Board of Education, Ithaca High School, IPEI, and Ithaca Stem Advocates. Their support makes it possible for the team to operate and foster a love of STEM.
Code Red is an associate member of the IthacaSTEM Advocates, an affiliate of the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI), a not-for-profit organization that believes the education of every student in the Ithaca City School District (ICSD) is enhanced through community connections and support.
More information:
Visit the Code Red website
Follow @codered639 on Instagram
Email Ian Krywe, Code Red advisor
For more information about FIRST robotics can be found here.