By Maryn McDonald
With advanced technology rapidly changing the way people work, a small group of students from Madison County is preparing to put their skills to the test at this year’s international robotics competitions.
Mentored by students from Berea College, Rat Fight Robotics is a student-led organization made up of high school students from Berea Community, Madison Southern, Model, and Madison Central. While most members attend traditional schooling, a handful are homeschooled.
The team meets three times a week in one of Berea College’s newest buildings, the Computing, Media, and Information Technology (CMIT) building. There, they work to design and build their robot for the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Competitions.
The first regional competition that Rat Fight will compete in is the Smoky Mountain Regional in Sevierville, Tennessee, from March 18–21, followed by the Miami Valley Regional in Cincinnati, Ohio, from April 1–4. Both of these regional competitions draw teams from all over the world. Combined with local competitors from across the United States, FIRST pulls teams from as far away as China and India.
The challenge for this year was released in January, and the team has already begun work on the robot. Teams must build a robot that can score fuel into assigned bins called processors to earn points for their alliance. The alliances consist of three teams, all working together against the over 60 members of the community, along with many of their sponsors. Elaina Kirby, a Berea Community High School senior at Rat Fight, says that “I learned about fundraising, outreach, and how to communicate properly in a professional setting since joining the Business Team.”
One thing that sets this team apart from most others is its emphasis on the environment within the team. Mentor and head coach Dylan Roland emphasizes one of the team’s core values, “Fun first, robot second.” This philosophy has helped the team create an environment that is welcoming and friendly, and allows students to get to know each other.
Model High School senior Isaac Sartor said, “My favorite thing about the team is the community within it. You have so many different kinds of people and viewpoints, and everyone is respectful of each other and each other’s ideas.”
Rat Fight is always looking for more high school students who are interested in the STEM field or business world, who want to expand their knowledge. For more information, contact us at 9152ratfight@gmail.com.
“I think the team has had a really positive impact on me. I’ve learned a lot in general, and had a really good time coming over to the building on campus and being able to be in a room with a bunch of other people who share similar interests,” said Isaac Sartor.
