By Ria Nair '21
On Saturday, February 16th, the Janksters hosted their annual Robot Reveal Night to showcase the robot the team had just six weeks to brainstorm, prototype, and build for this year’s challenge. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an innovative program that encourages kids to pursue knowledge and skills in STEM, released a new challenge (Destination: Deep Space) to their FRC (First Robotics Competition) teams on January 5, kicking off the 2019 Build Season. Robot Reveal Night allowed team members to present their achievements in front of parents, mentors, sponsors, and guests. All eyes were on JankyBot as it made its way down a makeshift runway.
The night started out with a student-run presentation detailing the build season process from “kick-off” to “bag and tag.” The different committees presented their goals and highlights, while making sure to show their Jankster side by sneaking in several nerdy puns. The girls learned many new skills and efficiently communicated with each other throughout the season.
When it was finally time to reveal the robot, the crowd was full of excitement and curiosity. The robot made its way through the middle of the Learning Commons with maneuverability that did not disappoint. For some team members, this was the first opportunity to see the robot’s full range of capabilities, and they were just as excited as guests to see it spin and extend its elevator to the fullest height of 80 inches. The last hour was set aside for the audience to see the robot up close, ask team members questions, look at the team displays and decorations, and mingle while enjoying snacks.
We hope guests enjoyed Robot Reveal Night as much as the Janksters did because their support and enthusiasm has been a source of inspiration throughout build season. Carried by this support, the Janksters continued intense work days over the long President’s Day weekend to put the finishing touches on the robot, in time for “bag and tag” on Tuesday, February 19.
Come see Team 1967 compete in the following upcoming competitions: Central Valley Regional at the Fresno Convention Center (March 8-9) and Silicon Valley Regional at San Jose State University Event Center (March 30-31) Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, for the latest team updates: @team1967
