Kentridge robotics club excels in competition, community outreach

Kentridge senior Claire Richards had no interest in robotics or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as a freshman.

But that changed when, at the insistence of her father, Richards checked out the school’s robotics club.

“My dad, who is one of our (robotic club) mentors, told me my freshman year I had to ‘try’ robotics for one year,” Richards said. “I just ended up falling in love with it. … You get these skills and experiences that last for a lifetime, so it kind of inspired me to stay with it.”

Richards is president of the club this year and plans to double major in mechanical engineering and business management at Montana State University next year, following in her father’s and brother’s footsteps. Her father is an engineer at Boeing and her brother, Jarret, was president of Kentridge’s robotics club and studies mechanical engineering at Montana State.

Robotics club has been life changing for Richards.

“The way that within six or sevenths months, you transform from that quiet shy person to taking initiative and being a leader,” she said. “It creates professionals. It creates leaders. It is incredible to watch year after year. It has been a really great year. It’s been a really great four years.”

Richards said she hopes to end her robotics career at Kentridge on a high note.

Each year the robotics club is tasked with building a robot to compete in competitions. In January, the theme for the year’s competition is announced and teams have six weeks to build a robot and then compete in two local contests to try to qualify for the Pacific Northwest district event.

Kentridge participated in its first competition of the year at Auburn Mountainview High School the first weekend in March. Kentridge was teamed with Anacortes and Raiseback Aviation high schools for a three-on-three competition. The three-team alliance won its battle in the castle-themed competition and the three schools qualified for PNW district championships, which will be in Portland, Ore., April 6-9.

Junior Trevor Harris, who serves as one of the club’s vice presidents, said he is pleased with how well the team’s robot, named Mudcrab, has performed this year.

“I think this is the best robot I have been a part of,” he said. “I think we have a lot of potential.”

The team will compete in a second local competition the beginning of April at Auburn High School before heading to Portland.

“Most of our weakness is just not enough driving experience,” Harris said. “It is hard to aim and fire when you only have just a few practices matches you’ve been on the field, so that is something we will have to work on in the next competition.”

At the first competition, Kentridge won the Engineering Inspiration Award, one of the top honors a robotics club can receive.

“We received the award for all of our efforts we are doing with our work with elementary schools,” Richards said.

Nick Boyce, the robotic club adviser, said the club offers something for everyone.

In addition, to building a robot, students write grants to secure funding for the club and teach elementary school students about robotics and science

“Some kids really grab on to that — the softer side (working with younger students) — and some kids don’t want to talk to the little kids,” Boyce said. “They want to program a robot.”

Richards said she tries to be a role model to young girls she meets during outreach activities.

“We do a lot of presentations at science fairs and STEM nights,” she said. “When we are there the girls kind of respond better to a female being there. … I have kind of found my way and robotics has given me that. I want to transfer that on to other young girls so they can feel the same way about themselves that I do.”

Junior Martina Du, who is a vice president for the club, recalled the students’ excitement during the robotic club’s visit.

“At the question who wants to be scientist or engineer, every single hand just shot up and that is when I realized robotics isn’t just about building robots, but it is about inspiring STEM and technology into our younger generations,” she said.

Du encourages everyone to give robotics a try, or at least watch a robotics competition.

“Everyone is in the bleachers wearing their team colors,” said Du, describing the atmosphere of a robotics competition. “There’s mascots, banners. Everyone is just (saying) ‘go robotics teams.’ It is really inspiring.”