High School Gears Up For International Robotics Competition
By Pat Gallen
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Some local high school students are heading to St. Louis this weekend to compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition which is an international event.
Bensalem High School's Team 5401, known as the Fightin' Robotic Owls built "Tim"-- a robot that took more than six hours and 30 students to make. "Tim" can navigate around obstacles, pick up small objects and battle other robots.
"We refer to the robot as our baby because we machined everything so to see it all come together and finally do something... it's a very proud moment," said team member Kady Dennis. "It's like watching a little kid grow up. It starts back here as just nothing but metal but and it ends up going back there and performing so well during competitions."
The team went 24 and 17 this season. Fate played a big part in getting them to the championship round.
"We were right on the bubble of getting in [districts] because they were accepting the top 55 teams which they later increased to 60," explained team member Matthew Garfield. "We were around 61 so we were just there. Two teams cancelled so they actually brought us in."
Garfield and the rest of his teammates continue to practice their maneuvers but they're also hoping luck is still on their side so they can win the championship and also raise enough money for the big trip.
They set up a GoFundMe page and are halfway to reaching their goal.