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Many contend that technology is dividing humanity and weakening its collective intellect. For the South Philly Rambots, the discipline is doing the opposite, fostering camaraderie and making ingenuity even more possible.
The 15 students at South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St., have embraced technology, and it has reciprocated, as they have qualified for the April 28 to 30 U.S. FIRST — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — Robotics FRC National Championship at the St. Louis-based Edward Jones Dome.
The Rambots, who have partaken in competitions since their 2009 inception, earned a chance to travel by reaching the semifinals of the Philadelphia Regional FIRST Final at Temple University’s Liacouras Center. Their April 7 to 8 success, which landed them the tournament’s Rookie All-Star Award, will, finances permitting, take them to the Midwest to test their creation, the Ramboogie, against other notable machines.
“I could never have imagined being in a position to compete in St. Louis,” Anne Urevick, the team’s coach and a computer science instructor at the Lower Moyamensing school, said Tuesday as six of her charges addressed another robot.
Their main device, whose name derives from the Ram — the school’s mascot — waits for them in St. Louis. They built it over six weeks in January and February and used it to finish 31st out of 60 teams two weeks ago.
Inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST in 1989 to encourage students to explore engineering and technology careers. The New Hampshire-based organization, which includes various scholarship programs, debuted its robotics competition in 1992. Urevick and her students could be just one week away from helping FIRST to celebrate its 20th season, needing to acquire $3,800 to let the Ramboogie offer its skills to the two teams it will join in an alliance.
“We had not entertained the idea of having an FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) team because having one is so expensive,” Urevick said.
John Glowa and J.J. Biel-Goebel, engineers with The Boeing Company, a multinational aerospace and defense corporation, joined the Rambots as mentors and helped to secure $6,500 for them to register for the regional challenge and to acquire a starter kit.
“Along with promoting science and technology, we see our involvement as an opportunity to counter negative perceptions of this school,” Glowa, of the 1800 block of South Alder Street, said of his company’s role.
Through a colleague, Glowa was able to obtain a portion of the $11,000 tab for the national battle. Other funds have come through Lockheed Martin, a renowned global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technology company; the Comcast Corporation; private donations; and alumni contributions.
Because the School District of Philadelphia requires 30 days’ notice to consider granting funds for an out-of-the-city trip, the Rambots must rush for finances. According to Urevick, their principal, Otis D. Hackney III, is working on an appeal, and Biel-Goebel took students to City Hall after school Friday to seek assistance. The latter learned 1st District Councilman Frank DiCicco may provide financial relief.
“It would be such a great story for this school, in its first year with an FRC team, to go to St. Louis to compete,” Biel-Goebel said.
If the Rambots make it to The Show-Me State, they will be able to show off their lauded brainchild. Measuring 30 inches wide and 43 long, it surprised the opposition at Temple by using its wings to reach a length of 84 inches.
Each year, the FIRST competition devises a new task for the participants. The organizers chose Logo Motion as 2011’s game, meaning robots took to the 27-by-54-foot playing field to hang inflatable plastic circles, triangles and squares to form the FIRST logo. Usually an offensive force, the Ramboogie blocked scoring attempts with its flaps and saw its contemporary gadgets score points.
“The wings served as our surprise ending,” Urevick, a South Jersey resident who has spent three of her 23 years with the district at Southern, said of helping the Rambots’ alliance to triumph.
Uniting with other squads eliminates egos and promotes “coopertition,” Kamen’s coinage pairing “cooperation” and “competition.” The term reflects the competitive yet cordial relationship among teams. That partnership includes the sharing of equipment and encouraging others to heighten their scientific acumen. Urevick and the Rambots used their receptivity to novelty to be literally bright contenders.
“I love injecting new technology into my curriculum,” Urevick said.
Students served light-emitting diodes (LEDs) into their shirts to give themselves luminosity for the Philadelphia Regional. If they make the trek to St. Louis, Urevick stated their tops would have more light sources.
“We really want to show how bright we are in South Philly,” she said.
The learners would enjoy a robo prom on the last day of their adventure and would likely encounter Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman. They would join the more than 300 teams for their 135-second matches and would look to score points and scholarships, as FIRST offers more than $14 million in aid.
Junior Anthony Wallace of 23rd and Morris streets and his mates spend many hours after school to work on robotics, the study and use of robots.
“Being on the team has helped me to work with power tools and makes me more interested in game design as a career,” he said.
“I’d felt drawn to science and technology before, but this has enhanced my interest,” junior and Center City resident Richard Taylor, the Ramboogie’s main driver for the last regional matches, said of the club’s role in fostering plans for a chemical engineering career.
“We talk about robotics constantly,” junior Salina Ruth, who used conductive thread to sew on the LEDs, said of the members’ increasing fellowship.
The resident of Chadwick and Moore streets desires a forensics career.
Interested in automotive engineering, Cartier Wilks is “our team spirit,” according to Urevick.
“Not many people around school talk about us,” the resident of the 600 block of Oregon Avenue said. “If we do well in St. Louis, that had better change.”
To help the Rambots, send checks to:
South Philadelphia High School
2101 S. Broad St.
Room 420
Attention A. Urevick,
Philadelphia, PA 19148.
Note “FRC3553” on the front.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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