FIRST!

Robowranglers win Dallas Regional

March 24, 2010
Greenville Herald Banner

Greenville High School's Robowranglers, looking to reclaim the World robotics title, began their competitive season by winning the F.I.R.S.T. (First in Recognition of Science and Technology) Dallas Regional Event at Southern Methodist University last week.

The nationally-acclaimed Robowranglers, who won the World Championship two years ago and last year were eliminated in the quarterfinal round at the FIRST International Championship, formed the winning alliance with the Mighty Monkey Wrenches (Team 2016) of Ewing, N.J., and the Llano Estacado RoboRaiders (Team 1817) of Lubbock.

The Robowranglers, Team 148, also received the Motorola Quality Award, which celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication.

The Robowranglers are sponsored by Innovation First, Inc., L-3 Communications and Greenville ISD.

The Robowranglers are comprised of students and teachers from GHS and staff members from two corporate sponsors.  Each year, volunteer engineers team with the high school students to build a robot in a six-week time period to enter into the FIRST robotics competitions.

Participating in Dallas were students Rae Arnold, Alex Cartier, Allison Chitwood, Colin Doby, Elise Follett, Parker Francis, J.R. Gutsch, J. Andrew Harrison, Jordan Henderson, Cody Horton, Connor Horton, Katie Kroncke, Randy Larsen, Mark Mahrer, Josh Matlack, Colton McCain, Connor Mulkey, Keri Porter, Dillon Row, Nathan Ruprecht, Jimmy Vaughn, Ryan Villarma, Steffen Villarma, Gwendolyn Ward, Charles Wensel, Trevor Wooten, Kaleb Wright and Amy Yznaga.

Adrienne Emerson, George Kroncke, Vanessa Pope, Corey Chitwood, Paul Copioli, Brandon Martus, Ricky Torrance, Ricky Quinones, John V-Neun, Armanda Corrales, Chris Follett, John Hodapp, Chris Horne, Steve Maxwell, Ken Stroud, Monty Wineinger, John Yznaga, Kevin Morris, Jim Francis and Joe Maher serve as engineer mentors.

The Robowranglers will next travel to Houston to compete in the FIRST Lone Star Regional meet (April 1-3) followed by the FIRST Championship Event in Atlanta (April 14-17).

The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams of young people and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard "kit of parts" and a common set of rules.  Teams build robots from the parts and enter them in competitions designed by Dean Kamen, Dr. Woodie Flowers and a committee of engineers and other professionals.