Coatesville, Pa. robotics team set to compete on the world stage
Team 7244 is made up of a diverse range of students from Grades 7 through 12 around the Coatesville area.
COATESVILLE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- A robotics club based in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, is making waves on the world stage thanks to some amazing students, a collaborative spirit and a robot named "Full Circle."
Club member Michael Gallagher is one of the drivers of the robot.
"There are 13 of us on our team and all of us pitched in some way," said Gallagher. "Some were programming, some building, some driving. Whoever you are on the team you made a healthy contribution to this robot. It took about eight months to build it."
Team 7244 is made up of a diverse range of students from grades seven through 12 around the Coatesville area.
Their hopes for a world championship are pinned on the aluminum frame and flashing lights of Full Circle, their robot that will compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship tournament in Houston, Texas from April 19 to April 22.
"They actually earned their way as an Inspire Award winner. They are the epitome of a FIRST Tech Challenge team. Not only do they build a good robot, but they have the skills. They're good at marketing, expressing themselves, but they also understand the core values of FIRST and what it takes to compete," says Tom Zawislak of FIRST Tech Challenge.
The Coatesville team has their work cut out for them. They will be competing against 160 other teams from the United States.
This team competed in the state championships in March and beat out 35 other teams to get a chance to compete on the world stage.
And it's not just robots they're building, it's the memories made along the way.
Sam Tatum, a senior, is one of the drivers of Full Circle. He knows the value the club can bring to students of all backgrounds.
"It's also the soft skills you develop. I was pretty introverted when I first started, but it's helped me with public speaking and communication. We provide opportunities to people who may not have it initially."
These skills give them the self-confidence to compete on the world stage.
The team needs your support to cover the expenses necessary to travel to Houston. To support Team 7244, visit https://gofund.me/b5408a0d
