Teens find niche building competition robots

By Vanessa Lenz

SLN Staff

For teens like Rachel Hunter, who have long been embracing a love of science and engaging in the not so typical activity of building robots, the creation of East Troy’s first robotics team has been a long time coming.

Hunter was among a group of East Troy high school and middle school students to launch the PatronumBots this summer.

The new robotics team name was born after the group of Harry Potter fans learned their team number would be 5972 ­– the same number on the front of the Hogwarts Express.

The PatronumBots will compete through the FIRST Tech Challenge robotics program, one of four robotics programs sponsored by FIRST. FIRST, developed by entrepreneur Dean Kamen in 1989, stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.”

Coach Shawn Hunter said a robotics program at the high school and middle school level evolved from his three daughters’ FIRST Lego team, which he coached for the past two years.

PatronumBots Rachel and Lauren Hunter, as well as their little sister Caitlin were part of the state and national championship Fourth Motor FIRST Lego team.

The Hunters decided to start a robotics team for teens after Rachel, an ETHS freshman, graduated out of Lego robotics this fall and had no outlet to continue her passion.

“They’ve been talking about wanting to get more math and science into the schools, but there hasn’t been a lot of awareness for it so we are trying to raise more awareness in East Troy and encourage the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiative,” said Rachel Hunter, who wants to be an engineer one day.

FIRST Tech Challenge is for students in grades seven through 12 and is one of the fastest-growing programs in the world, according to Shawn Hunter.

Shawn Hunter said it gives kids an opportunity to learn discipline and responsibility, organization, teamwork, polish critical thinking skills and develop and enhance science aptitude.

“It’s getting more into real world applications and problem solving with students immersed in the whole process,” he said. “It really prepares them for life.”

The undertaking has not been an easy one with the Hunters having to work to get interested team members and secure funding.

The team currently has six members, Rachel and Lauren Hunter, Meghan Griffin, Lori Heinemann, Adam Wells and Lucas Bottum. Each member has an interest in pursuing some sort of science career, in addition to playing a musical instrument.

Wells, a freshman, said he joined the team because it sounded fun and he thought it would prepare him for a career in software engineering.

“I thought it would be cool because I like building stuff with Legos and I haven’t had an opportunity to do something like this,” said Bottum, a freshman who was able to join the team after a broken leg sidelined him from ETHS soccer.

Griffin, an ETMS eighth grader, said the team meshed together instantly and has great chemistry.

“I had always had Legos in my life and as a kid I built the sets … I thought it would be a really good learning opportunity to get into programming,” Griffin said of joining the team.

Heinemann, who just started learning about robotics, said she wanted a glimpse into the work her parents do as machinists.

The PatronumBots will spend the next five months designing, building and programming their robot for competition, under the supervision of coaches Shawn and his wife Meg and Tim Griffin.

This year’s robot challenge focuses on placing rings on a center goal in the shape of a tic-tac-toe board.

Starting in February, the team will have the opportunity to show off their robot to a panel of judges and also compete against other robots on a 12-by12-foot playing field.

Shawn Hunter said their goal for the team’s first year of competition is to ensure the robot can move.

“This year is all about learning. I told them not to expect to walk away with a trophy,” he said.

Shawn Hunter said the endeavor wouldn’t be possible without the support of the PatronumBots sponsors.

The PatronumBots have received generous support from local businesses, including Cedar Point Investments, Allan Integrated Control Systems, Milwaukee School of Engineering and KS Energies.

“There is a great need for future workers with the skills that are being explored by the East Troy robotics team.  We are impressed with the leadership and dedication of Meg and Shawn Hunter on guiding this group of students through this challenge,” said Ann Zess of Allan ICS. “It is refreshing to see the students’ enthusiasm for learning as they work together as a team while having a lot of fun with their project.”

“These activities do a great deal to build self confidence in these young people.  They find success in their own projects and they also come into contact with young people from around the globe that are also having success,” said Terry Dignan of CedarPoint Investments.

Dignan said a second benefit of the program has been that it allows young women to see the technology and engineering fields are not just for “the boys.”

“Every time you can open a door of success for a young person in a non-traditional field it is an additional opportunity for them for the rest of their life.  More importantly, on many of the teams young men and women work together for the success of the team,” Dignan said.

The team is still seeking donations to support its $8,000 budget.

In addition to being a sponsor, Ann and Ted Zess of Allan Integrated Control Systems are also allowing the PatronumBots to utilize a large portion of its shop area to set up and practice with their playing field.

“Without their generous support, it would be very difficult for the team to meet, build and practice,” Hunter said.

“The skills these kids are learning through this process are amazing to us as well as our engineers, as the students will be learning how to program their robot, which is something our engineers do in real life for our projects every day,” said Ann Zess. “We are proud to support this team and will continue to support new project based learning in our schools.  We would like to encourage others, including businesses and engineers, to visit and get involved in the way of donating for financial support or time in order to keep this going and to give more kids the opportunity to participate.”

For more information about the PatronumBots, visit www.patronumbots.com or email [email protected]. Follow the team on Twitter @PatronumBots.