Sunday, June 12, 2011

San Diego County Fair Student Showcase :: Passion FIRST!

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Ah, the power and passion of Paradox. FIRST 2102 Team Paradox Passion! It's so powerful it got us up and out of the house to visit the Fair, where we got to enjoy a mini competition demonstration of the awesomeness of FIRST and Team San Diego.


FIRST 2102 Team Paradox earned a third place ribbon, exhibiting Terence and the mini-bot tower. Not to be apologetic, or defensive, but I gotta say: I am partial to robots built by students, a little rough, kind of scrappy. Terence is a robot built of team passion and sweat equity, and he looks FIRST rate to me.


Hello, CLU. The mini-bots, CLU and Rinzler were being showcased too, and they enjoyed coming out for some tower races. FIRST 2102 Team Paradox brought the spec-accurate mini bot tower, so teams could test and time their mini-bots.


After all those regional competitions, and Championships, it was fun to bring back LogoMotion, to hang out with friends and enjoy the robots.


Here is the mini-bot of FIRST 2485 Francis Parker's We Are Robot Lords... aka WAR Lords.
Mini-Bot time: eight feet in 2:55 seconds


Loading CLU, making systems checks... the team gets set for another match of LogoMotion.


FIRST 1622 Team Spyder, 2009 Las Vegas Regional winners. Team San Diego is full of winning teams!


And here's the Spyder Mini-Bot set to climb the tower.
Mini-Bot time: eight feet in 2:51 seconds


There is always something to update, maintain, adjust... mechanically, electronically, with the programming, in business and outreach. Passion for FIRST and robotics doesn't stop after the buzzer.

Even with the 2010-2011 season just wrapped up, FIRST 2102 Team Paradox is already launched into the new season with great summer projects, like park clean-ups, and sponsor connections, like visiting SAIC... an exceptional experience for the team. New opportunities have come up too, like mentoring FTC rookie team the Lancers from Carlsbad High School. The metal shop isn't taking a break, and the prototype for FIRST 2102 Team Paradox's T-shirt cannon is looking real good!


2012 for FIRST 2102 is looking real good. A great team, with a great new executive branch and many, many talented specialists, a team passionate about learning and growing and promoting STEAM... Science~Technology~Engineering~Art~Math!...


a team with supportive alumni, dedicated mentors...


devoted families... yes, the future is bright...


and not just for FIRST 2102 Team Paradox... as younger teams, like FIRST 3128 The Aluminum Narwhals, and seasoned teams, like FIRST 812 The Midnight Mechanics, work together to share the message of FIRST, to support Team San Diego teams... opportunities to celebrate and learn, to grow as a powerhouse of robotics passion... all FIRST robotics participants benefit... from FLL Juniors to FLL to FTC and right through FRC. Even mentors, and sponsors feel the benefits and joys of hardworking and bright Team San Diego member teams!



Remember Maria's EggBot, the one she built with her dad? It was a huge hit when FIRST 2102 Team Paradox shared it at the Street Fair, so we brought it to the San Diego County Fair, and this time, instead of drawing on eggs, Geoff set it up to add team logos to LED light bulbs. Want to do your energy bill a world of good? Want to do the environment a world of good? Purchase our 7-watt/450 lumen LED light bulb that replaces up to a conventional 60-watt household light bulb – it is a high-performance bulb that features longer life and significantly lower energy consumption than traditional bulbs.


The EggBot added colorful team logos and mascots to the bulbs... very cool.


Holy Cow, it's fun to watch too!


Fair ladies, at the Fair. When it comes to outreach, marketing, budget, and FIRST passion, these girls are all business! The business of robotics is an idea worth spreading wherever we go.



Terence scored some points hanging inner tubes, then moved to the tower to deploy the mini-bot, CLU.


The deployment arm is out and at the pole, and CLU is beginning its ascent.


These mini-bots are fast, and CLU is tops. Today the mini-bot was making it to the top in under two seconds. The record time for CLU climbing the eight feet is .9 of a second!


Here comes the mini-bot for FIRST 1538, The Holy Cows. They won the Silicon Valley FRC... GO Cows!


Look up!
Mini-Bot time: eight feet in 1:71 seconds


The tower is wired to the computer, which starts the timer and activates the lights at the top of the tower. When the bell rings they release the mini-bot.
CLU is ready to go.


Mini-Bot time: eight feet in 1:61 seconds! That's the fastest mini-bot of the day! w00ts!


Maria came with her Paradox eggs, chocolate eggs.


Maria came with her Paradox spirit, Team San Diego spirit!


Robotics all year. When you are talking about friends and learning, about good times... it just makes sense to keep the good times moving forward.


Sixth grader Jackson, from Scripps Ranch, could not wait to see the student showcase, the FIRST robots, and he especially wanted to learn more about those mini-bots. He says he wants to find an FLL team and join the fun.


FIRST, Team Paradox, the people who come together to learn and play... it is gratifying, it gives hope, it affirms beliefs.


It brings a smile to your face.
Really.
We can't help ourselves.
It's that much fun.



One more thing...
Happy Birthday Alex!
It's really kind of super awesome that you are seventeen, this is an incredible time, you are doing the things you are passionate about, have dreamed of... keep on dreaming, keep on believing! I hope you are enjoying life, as much as we are enjoying watching you grow and learn, play and explore! You are a dream coming true.

6 comments:

judy in ky said...

I can not begin to tell you how cool this is and how much it all amazes me, Natalie. The things these kids are doing just incredible. I know you know because they amaze you too. I am so thankful that you share this with us. It gives me great optimism about the next generation.

judy in ky said...

One more thing: Happy Birthday from me too, Alex! I echo everything your mom says. You are so lucky to be living your dreams and sharing your passions with others who are as committed and creative and imaginative as you are. Sorry for gushing... it's all your mom's fault! :)

ArtyZen said...

It's all quite mind-blowing. I'd love to watch those mini-bots whizzing up the tower.
Happy Birthday Alex - hope you've had a wonderful day. Axx

test said...

We are so lucky that you are impartial to all the robot stuff, and only take the required number of photographs of the action.
I guess we missed another great day, and I totally missed Alex's birthday, from what I could see he seems to have been very happy.

Jennifer said...

What a fabulous day, and so much incredible energy! Happy Birthday, Alex -- because it's never too late to have a happy birthday!!

nikkipolani said...

I love all the expressions you've captured -- from concentration to glee to bemusement to pride.