There are many clubs offered at PCM High School, but one club specifically is not talked about enough. Robotics is a club where students create and program a robot to complete a certain objective that they are given that year. In the past the team has had major success, reaching the World Championships in Houston, Texas. Although those experienced members have graduated, this year’s team is eager to finish the year strong. The 2024-25 team has ten members, filled mainly with sophomores and freshmen, and only three upperclassmen. High school S.T.E.M. and engineering teacher, Mr. West, is the leader of the team. “It’s really challenging, and to see the robot do all the things it can do can be really amazing,” said West on what makes robotics so special. “The things that our robotics students do are pretty high-level stuff.”
The team has competed in five competitions already this year. Each year, they must program their robot to achieve a new objective and then test their robot’s ability to complete the challenge in the weekly competitions. “This year our challenge is to pick up small plastic cubes with a claw,” West said when asked about the objective, “and then we have to lift it up and put it in higher baskets… or we have to clip it onto a pole.” The goal of each competition is to score as many points are possible while trying to improve your score weekly. “One of the most challenging things is trying to brainstorm how we want to do the challenges on the field,” said junior Mason Gilje. “We want to be able to do the most-scoring ones, but also be able to do them efficiently.”
Robotics is a great way for students interested in technology to work with others and challenge themselves. “Getting to meet people with similar interests and getting to work with other people in robotics and computers field,” said sophomore Emmet Kimball when asked about the best part of robotics. “Getting to take that effort and work and going to a competition to see actual results,” Kimball added.
Robotics’ next competition is on January 18th at Lakewood Elementary School from 8am-4pm. The meet will be their 6th and final competition until the Robotics League Tournament on February 1st, also at Lakewood Elementary from 8-4.
