The George Washington High School (GWHS) Robotics Team, FRC Team 5507, engages students in a variety of hands-on project-based STEM activities including hardware, software, and manufacturing, as well as business skills including fundraising, budgeting, marketing, public relations, and community outreach.

Software

Members of the Software team learn and work in Java, creating the code that powers our mechanisms

Hardware

Students learn to use an assortment of machines and tools as they construct the robot from the ground up

PR & Marketing

The PR & Marketing team builds awareness and positive team perceptions via social media, the web and supporter outreach

Business

The Business team manages team finances, including budget management, fund raising, and sponsor relations

CAD

Using Fusion 360, members of the CAD team create 3D models of our mechanisms to ensure fit and functionality

Coaches

John Hajel

I have been teaching math and computer science at Washington since 2012. When one of my students approached me about coaching robotics, I couldn’t wait to get started.

Having worked on engineering projects in my professional life, I knew how complex and involved they can be. You need people to build and program, but you also need effective project management, networking and outreach with other groups, and the financial security to build a program over time.

I love working on these kinds of projects -- giving students real-life experience and working through engineering problems as a team. I hope that the experiences students have in robotics extend to other areas of their lives -- problem solving, cooperation, and innovation.

My goals for the team are to continue to grow and improve, to expand our mechanical and programming capabilities, and obviously, to eventually rename the team to the Washington High School Michigan Wolverines (Go Blue!)

Rachael Spillard

I have been teaching Biology and Computer Science at Washington for 15 years, and have been coaching robotics since we started the team in 2014. It is incredible to see how much the team has grown in that time -- we started the team with a small group of extremely motivated students and some shared space in the basement.

Thanks to our supportive school community and the generosity of our sponsors and mentors, we have been able to grow the team into what we are today. What continues to draw me to robotics is that it is so unlike other kinds of student activities. Our students have real responsibility over the project and the team -- they design and build things using professional tools and equipment, apply programming skills, secure and manage funds, and reach out to other teams in the area to support the community as a whole.

Long-term goals for the team are obviously to continue to grow and improve. Our performance at competition has improved consistently from one year to the next, and I would love to see that trend continue (here’s to more playoff appearances in the future!). I would also love to see our team expand its community outreach, helping robotics teams in the area and continuing to support the STEM community here at Washington.

Match History

2024

At the San Francisco Regional, we ranked 19 out of 43 and were selected to the 1st seeded alliance. Our alliance won the regional, and we won the Creativity Award.

At the East Bay Regional, we ranked 14 out of 60 teams and were the 8th seeded alliance captain. Our enthusiasm impressed the judges so much that we won the Spirit Award!

At Sunset Showdown, we ranked 28 out of 40 teams. After being selected to the 1st seeded alliance, we emerged from the competion as the winner!

2023

At San Francisco Regional, we won 9 out of our 10 matches, this placed us 1/42, making us the alliance 1 captain! We were able to play 3 matches in the qualifications and made significant improvements on our ranking!

At the Silicon Valley Regional, we ranked 6/59 and won 7 out of our 9 matches played! We were selected into the 4th seeded alliance and faced tough matches in playoffs. We ended up winning the Creativity Award as well!

2022

At the San Francisco Regional, we ranked 16/41. We encountered tough match-ups, but we still managed to hold our position in the top 20. In the end, We made it to the semi-finals in the 5th Alliance!

At the Silicon Valley Regional, we ranked 12/59. Coincidentally, we got picked by the 5th alliance again and made it to the semi-finals!

At the Chezy Champs Invitational, we ranked 34/39. The other teams' robots were crazy good.

2021

At Chezy Champs, we ranked 19/39. We faced very tough opponents but still did quite well.

2019

At the San Francisco Regional, we ranked 5/43, the highest we'd ranked thus far!

At the Sacramento Regional, We ranked 9/59 at this regional. Reflecting on how far our team has come to be top 10 in every competition we took part in this year was breathtaking.

At Chezy Champs, we ranked 9/40 and made our way to the finals! We made top 10 in our first year at Chezy Champs!

2018

At the San Francisco Regional, our team ranked 13/43 and competed our way to the semi-finals!

At the Sacramento Regional, our team ranked 7/65. We fought for our spot in the Quarter finals. We managed to break a new record for our team rank-wise!