Help Project B Get To The Next Level
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It sounds like the football grand final. The cheers of the spectators drown out the loud music as two teams battle for victory. In teams of three, six 50kg robots dart around a field the size of a tennis court. It’s a highly physical game, robots pushing others aside to block scoring attempts on targets over 2m above the playing field. When the warning sounds, some robots scramble for last-minute points whilst others race back to the starting platforms, lifting themselves over 50cm to reach the highest level. The crowd’s roar is deafening as the robots complete their task in the last second! As the machines are carried off the field, teams from opposite sides congratulate each other. There is a distinct lack of adults – these designers and operators are still in high school, and they’ve just completed another game in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC).
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In back-to-back robotics competitions over the last week, the Wollongong-based Project Bucephalus has achieved an incredible result! Competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) as team #5985, the students managed the outstanding feat of receiving the two highest awards possible - not to mention qualifying for the World Championships in Houston (next month!) to represent Australia with 400 teams from 70 countries
The Project Bucephalus team of 31 high school aged students from 15 schools won the 2019 Southern Cross Regional FIRST Robotics Championships in Sydney competing with 40 teams from 9 countries.
They went into the finals ranked as the No. 1 team and put up a stellar performance with their chosen alliance partners (from Barker College and a local team from Elonera Montessori School mentored by Project Bucephalus).
Two days later they were back competing in the South Pacific Regional Championships alongside an Australian and international field of 66 teams. They were awarded the Chairman's Award which is the most prestigious award in FIRST® Robotics Competition. The award recognises a team that reflects sustained excellence and impact within the FIRST community, in its own community, and beyond. Here's our award-winning Chairman's video to see how the team have been spreading what they do.;
So if Project Bucephalus has already achieved these top-level outcomes, why do they need your help in taking them to the next level?
For the three years, they have been part of the FIRST Robotics Championship, the team has developed their skills in robotics, strategy, teamwork and engaging communities from playing and learning from the world’s best.
Representing Australia at the world championships in Houston for the last two years has contributed to this as will the 2019 world championships. Topping championships in our region is one thing but the world stage has teams that are several levels above us. Continuing to participate alongside and against the world’s best will help to keep lifting their performance in all areas. These skills are directly being used to help grow other children in our community and will be invaluable in future pathways.
The cost to participate in the Houston tournament is significant at around $5,000 per student (travel is in school holidays in less than 4 weeks which immediately inflates the cost). As Project Bucephalus is predominately a self-funded independent team, donations will help to offset the cost of the registration to participate (approx $7,000) and contribute to the cost of 3 mentors accompanying the team.
We’re also seeing that the bar just keeps getting raised higher and higher in terms of the access to specialist mentors and sophisticated machinery and materials being used by many of the teams competing. We’re seeking partnerships and sponsorships from businesses and individuals who may assist us to increase our expertise in this space and would love for you to connect in with us directly to discuss how we can work together providing mutual benefit through this partnership.
Continuing to make robots made with almost nothing else but hand tools, a drill press and a drop saw will see that Project Bucephalus will find it hard to remain competitive. IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD DO IF WE HAD MORE! And not developing broader expertise in this space not only robs the teenagers of this team of further opportunity, but also the hundreds of children who Project Bucephalus trains each year in robotics programs.
How Can You Help?
This campaign has been set up by Carolyn Ingram, a parent mentor of Project Bucephalus whose son is a member of the team. The campaign is being run on behalf of the Project Bucephalus team.
If you can assist financially, the team would gratefully accept your donation no matter how small. All funds are transferred directly into the account of the Project Bucephalus team leaders and will be used to offset the cost of registration fee of the event ($7,000) and the funding of the three mentors to accompany the team allowing them to compete in the world championships in Houston. Without these funds, the costs are being totally covered by families of youth within the team many of who are from a lower socio-economic background.
If you would like to make a significant donation or explore how we can work together on a more ongoing basis (maybe you have specialist knowledge or equipment that would be of value to the team), please leave a comment requesting we contact you directly or email the lead mentors by clicking this link .
And if you have or know kids and you want them to gain exposure to robotics in a fun way, check out our robotics programs here Classes are run throughout the Illawarra as well as the Shoalhaven and Narellan for all ages. Participating in these programs helps the team financially and allows the teenagers in Project Bucephalus to extend their impact through mentoring and inspiring other kids.
Thank you for reading our story, We hope that you have been inspired by the enormous capability of our children.
If you want to see what this competition is all about, here's the final of the Southern Cross Regional competition which we won with our alliance to take out the championship. These robots are built by the teams in 6 weeks!!
If you missed our award winning 2019 Chairman’s video click here.
Follow our journey by liking our Facebook Page by clicking here. Project Bucephalus Robotics - FLL and FRC
Reach out to the lead mentors by emailing here
See the team's story on the local WIN News here.
______________________________________________________________________________
In back-to-back robotics competitions over the last week, the Wollongong-based Project Bucephalus has achieved an incredible result! Competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) as team #5985, the students managed the outstanding feat of receiving the two highest awards possible - not to mention qualifying for the World Championships in Houston (next month!) to represent Australia with 400 teams from 70 countries
The Project Bucephalus team of 31 high school aged students from 15 schools won the 2019 Southern Cross Regional FIRST Robotics Championships in Sydney competing with 40 teams from 9 countries.
They went into the finals ranked as the No. 1 team and put up a stellar performance with their chosen alliance partners (from Barker College and a local team from Elonera Montessori School mentored by Project Bucephalus).
Two days later they were back competing in the South Pacific Regional Championships alongside an Australian and international field of 66 teams. They were awarded the Chairman's Award which is the most prestigious award in FIRST® Robotics Competition. The award recognises a team that reflects sustained excellence and impact within the FIRST community, in its own community, and beyond. Here's our award-winning Chairman's video to see how the team have been spreading what they do.;
So if Project Bucephalus has already achieved these top-level outcomes, why do they need your help in taking them to the next level?
For the three years, they have been part of the FIRST Robotics Championship, the team has developed their skills in robotics, strategy, teamwork and engaging communities from playing and learning from the world’s best.
Representing Australia at the world championships in Houston for the last two years has contributed to this as will the 2019 world championships. Topping championships in our region is one thing but the world stage has teams that are several levels above us. Continuing to participate alongside and against the world’s best will help to keep lifting their performance in all areas. These skills are directly being used to help grow other children in our community and will be invaluable in future pathways.
The cost to participate in the Houston tournament is significant at around $5,000 per student (travel is in school holidays in less than 4 weeks which immediately inflates the cost). As Project Bucephalus is predominately a self-funded independent team, donations will help to offset the cost of the registration to participate (approx $7,000) and contribute to the cost of 3 mentors accompanying the team.
We’re also seeing that the bar just keeps getting raised higher and higher in terms of the access to specialist mentors and sophisticated machinery and materials being used by many of the teams competing. We’re seeking partnerships and sponsorships from businesses and individuals who may assist us to increase our expertise in this space and would love for you to connect in with us directly to discuss how we can work together providing mutual benefit through this partnership.
Continuing to make robots made with almost nothing else but hand tools, a drill press and a drop saw will see that Project Bucephalus will find it hard to remain competitive. IMAGINE WHAT WE COULD DO IF WE HAD MORE! And not developing broader expertise in this space not only robs the teenagers of this team of further opportunity, but also the hundreds of children who Project Bucephalus trains each year in robotics programs.
How Can You Help?
This campaign has been set up by Carolyn Ingram, a parent mentor of Project Bucephalus whose son is a member of the team. The campaign is being run on behalf of the Project Bucephalus team.
If you can assist financially, the team would gratefully accept your donation no matter how small. All funds are transferred directly into the account of the Project Bucephalus team leaders and will be used to offset the cost of registration fee of the event ($7,000) and the funding of the three mentors to accompany the team allowing them to compete in the world championships in Houston. Without these funds, the costs are being totally covered by families of youth within the team many of who are from a lower socio-economic background.
If you would like to make a significant donation or explore how we can work together on a more ongoing basis (maybe you have specialist knowledge or equipment that would be of value to the team), please leave a comment requesting we contact you directly or email the lead mentors by clicking this link .
And if you have or know kids and you want them to gain exposure to robotics in a fun way, check out our robotics programs here Classes are run throughout the Illawarra as well as the Shoalhaven and Narellan for all ages. Participating in these programs helps the team financially and allows the teenagers in Project Bucephalus to extend their impact through mentoring and inspiring other kids.
Thank you for reading our story, We hope that you have been inspired by the enormous capability of our children.
If you want to see what this competition is all about, here's the final of the Southern Cross Regional competition which we won with our alliance to take out the championship. These robots are built by the teams in 6 weeks!!
If you missed our award winning 2019 Chairman’s video click here.
Follow our journey by liking our Facebook Page by clicking here. Project Bucephalus Robotics - FLL and FRC
Reach out to the lead mentors by emailing here
See the team's story on the local WIN News here.
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Project Bucephalus
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