2018-2019 School Year
NEWS Deming High Thundercats bring home robotics championship from Amarillo, TX. (demingheadlight.com)
March 15, 2019
Deming High Thundercats bring home robotics championship from Amarillo, TX.
DEMING – The Deming High School Robotics Team Thundercats competed in the FIRST in Texas (FIT) Robotics Event, March 7 through 9 in Amarillo, Texas. The team arrived on Thursday evening where the team robot, “The Walrus,” was inspected and passed the safety and rules inspection.
The team competed in several qualifying matches and posted 6 wins and 6 losses seeding them in 15th place headiing into the quarterfinals.
The team waited patiently during the alliance selection process and were not picked until the very last. The number 1- and 2-ranked teams selected the Thundercats with their robot, “The Walrus,” to form the Red Alliance.
In the quarterfinals, the alliance won the first match, 95 to 48, and the second match 103 to 42.
Advancing to the semifinals, the Red Alliance won the first match 78 to 52, and the second match 120 to 46.
During the final round, the Red Alliance won the first match, 94 to 46; and the last match, 61 to 57. The match was won through the combined scoring efforts of the Red Alliance and the defensive driving efforts of the Thundercats.
Thundercats driver Angel Chafino proved pivotal in the victory, as his defensive abilities kept the opposing
teams’ robots at bay, not allowing them to score.
“I am very pleased with the efforts of our team this year. We had a rough start and many new opportunities to learn. The team came together and was able to compete very well this year and this is the first time we have won any championship in FIRST Robotics. Well done team,” said David Wertz, Thundercats mentor.
The team consisted of the following members: Mario Mendez, Angel Chafino, Amad Alsheikh, Carlos Emilio Hultsch Martinez, Alejandra Orosco, Melody Ruebush, and Byron Wertz.
The mentors for the Deming High School Robotics team are David Wertz, David Jaramillo, and Teresa
Hutts.
“The Deming Public Schools Activities Office would like to congratulate the Deming High School Robotics team on receiving 1st place in Amarillo this past weekend. “We would like to thank Mr. David Wertz and his staff for spending countless hours teaching our students perseverance and how to pursue excellence. We are excited to have programs such as Robotics in Deming, which help foster a positive learning environment and high level of expectations.” said Bernie Chavez, athletic/activities director for Deming Public Schools.
November 2, 2018
Deming High Thundercats eye BEST Robotics top prize on Saturday at NMSU in Las Cruces, NM
Article by The Deming Headlight
DEMING – Collective minds can build bridges, skyscrapers and rocket ships. The Thundercats at Deming High School have pooled their collective brains to build a robotic arm capable of working with an ever-changing ocean current to pick up debris that pollute the sea.
“Current Events” is the project mission for the Thundercats – Deming High’s robotics team – as they prepare for competition in Saturday’s BEST Robotics tournament at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.
“BEST (Boosting Engineering, Science and Technology) tournaments usually draw about 40 to 45 teams from schools all over the state,” said David Wertz, sponsor and teacher for the Thundercats. “The teams range from middle to high school.”
Deming teams have fared well in past seasons, and this year’s BEST challenge has peaked the interest of a handful of Thundercats.
“The theory behind current events is that a shipment of rubber ducks spilled into the ocean and the ocean currents carried the ducks into all directions where they later turned up in places around the globe,” said sophomore Mario Mendez. “Ever since those ducks were release, they have helped scientists study the ocean currents.”
Mendez and the Thundercats are tasked with building a robotic arm that can be suspended from a boat to collect debris from the ocean and to ultimately figure out the currents in the process.
“There are three gyers (ring-like platforms with netting that rotate to simulate an ocean current) filled with trash,” Mendez said. “We must move the arm from gyre to gyre and scoop up as much trash as possible.”
The Thundercats all took part in the planning and design process, but the project did not run as smooth, with a few hiccups along the way.
Senior Hiram Chacon said the competition is a little complicated this year. “This was something much different from past years for the simple fact that our robot is not going to be on the ground. This brings us to a whole new level of building.”
With the robotic arm suspended from a bar that represents a boat, the arm and claw design designed by the Thundercats can successfully and consistency scoop up track from the ocean as planned. But that’s in a perfect world, as most scientists find out.
The gyres will represent three different oceans and they will be swirling to simulate different ocean currents. The Thundercats are tweaking their robotic arm to make sure it can reach each ocean extended from the bar.
“We have fallen a little behind,” Chacon said. “We generally like to have two weeks of practice with the arm, but we were limited to only this week.”
The Thundercats built three prototypes before deciding which one provided the most functionality and consistency. Sophomore Alejandra Orosco is pleased with the nearly completed robot. “It moves along the current, and I know that the arm works and is able to extend and retract.”
Sophomore Melody Ruebush was recruited for the project in August and gave insight to the work Thundercats have put into this project in preparation for the BEST competition. “We stay every day after school, and sometimes weekends, and during breaks we can stay working on this from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Everybody who comes and works on this contributes. No one person has a job to do, we all have to work together to be successful,” Ruebush said.
Ruebush said the confidence level is running on high. Her partner, sophomore Angel Chafino, were tasked with building the arm that will extend and retract the claw that will collect debris from the oceans. “We have had a lot of testing with the arm and have come across some issues that were preventing it from working consistently,” Chafino said. “The issues appear to have been resolved.”
Junior Carlos Hultsch said everyone is multitasking to get the robot to perform consistently and efficiently. “I am on the presentation team, rules captain and safety officer, but sometimes I work on the robot,” he said.
Hultsch said he became involved with robotics when he was invited last year. “My father is an engineer, so I can appreciate the work he has done and what I can bring to the team here.”
The Thundercats took first place high school game division last year at NMSU and were second during the regional competition in Dallas, TX.
Bill Armendariz can be reached at 575-546-2611 (ext. 2606) or biarmendariz@demingheadlight.
Deming High School Robotics Team competes at Hub City Regionals in Lubbock, Texas
Article by Headlight staff reports Deming High School Robotics Team competes at Hub City Regionals in Lubbock, Texas (demingheadlight.com)
DEMING – The Deming High School Robotics Team participated in the Hub City Regionals held in Lubbock, Texas from March 8-10, 2018. The competition by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics. A total of 41 teams traveled from as far away as Mexico City to compete in this regional competition.
Deming’s Team Thundercats #2657 battled valiantly and encountered numerous challenges during the qualifying rounds on Friday, March 9th. Constant repairs and modifications were required to keep the robot, nicknamed “Guillotine,” in the fight and consistently earning points.
By the end of the qualifying rounds, the Thundercats were ranked 15th with a 9-9-0 record.
Nov. 2017: Deming High robotics team wins with fire-fighting robot
Distinguishing themselves with their robot’s versatility and durability, Team Thundercats was invited to join into an alliance with the Llano Estacado RoboRaiders from Lubbock, TX and the Fusion Corps Robotics Team from Irving, TX.
The three teams developed a strategy that capitalized on the strengths of each individual robot and were able to dominate through the semifinal rounds.
The suspense came to an end in the second round of the finals when Team Thundercats and its alliance partners battled to a hard-fought 374-371 finish, earning second place.
The first place alliance consisted of the Funky Monkeys from San Jose, CA, Up-A-Creek Robotics from Longmont, CO and the Bear-Tecs from Bastrop, TX.
MORE: Deming High School MESA students visit lawmakers in Santa Fe
FIRST was founded by Dean Kamen in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology. Based in Manchester, NH, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineerin, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.
FIRST is more than robots.FIRST participation is proven to encourage students to pursue education and careers in STEM-related fields, inspire them to become leaders and innovators, and enhance their 21st century work-life skills. Learn more about FIRST by visiting https://www.firstinspires.org/about/impact.
Video of the matches can be viewed online at www.TheBlueAlliance.com.
Watch video of the team’s prototype fire-fighting robot from the fall of 2017: