By Stephanie Slezycki • Senior Program Representative, Dept. 686 EB EMPLOYEES ach year, teams participating in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recogni- tion of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition are given six weeks HELP STUDENTS to design, build, and test 120-lb robots for competition. The 2017 challenge, E FIRST STEAMWORKS, saw these teams competing on a steampunk- themed playing field. Each three-team alliance scored points by shooting balls to “KICK BOT” build pressure, manipulating gears to start rotors spinning, and boarding their airship. The alliance with the highest score at the end of the match was declared the winner. AT WORLD The 2017 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) featured more than 83,000 stu- dents competing on 3,336 teams from 25 countries. Over 400 of these teams from ROBOTICS around the world qualified to attend the FRC Championship held last spring in St. Louis, Mo. For the first time ever, three of the teams representing Connecti- cut were supported by Electric Boat employee mentors, who volunteer countless COMPETITION hours each year to educate and guide the students to success. 12 | ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS | FALL/WINTER 2017 The Techno Ticks (Team 236) from Lyme-Old Lyme High School attend the FIRST Championship annually as a member of the Hall of Fame, having in the past won the Chairman’s Award, the most pres- tigious award in FIRST. This distinction honors the team that best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST; the Techno Ticks serve as a role model for others to emulate. At the FRC Championship, teams were divided into six subdivisions, each named after a famous scien- tist, engineer, or inventor. This year the Techno Ticks’ robot and al- liance progressed to the Darwin subdivision quarterfinals. The team is mentored by Ken Borden (recently retired), John Bozenhard (D437), and Ellen Di Carlo (D428). The Aluminum Falcons (Team 2168) from Robert E. Fitch High School in Groton had a great year as alliance captain and winner of the New England District Championship. They qualified to attend the FIRST Championship, where they progressed to the Tesla subdivision quarterfinals. The team was recognized at the FIRST Championship and awarded an Innovation in Control Award sponsored by Rockwell Automation for excellent robot design. Electric Boat employees men- toring the team include Adam Brewster (D433), Kevin Brown (D405), James Corcoran (D454), Max Gilbert (D453), Kevin Harrilal (D419), Matthew Ludwig (D416), Aram Mead (D492), Joshua Miller (D489), and Jordan Timmerman (D498). The STEM Whalers (Team 3719) from New London Science and Technology Magnet High School attended the FIRST Championship for the first time in the team’s history after qualifying as captain of the finalist alliance at the New England District Championship. At the FIRST Championship, their alliance was crowned as Darwin Subdivision Winner, and they advanced to face the winners of the five other subdivisions to determine the overall champion. In the end they beat out most of these alliances and, after two nail-biting match- es, returned home as Championship Finalists with alliance partners from Missouri, Texas, and Michigan. Their success has been featured in recent news stories on WFSB and Fox 61. Electric Boat mentors include Suzanne Burnett (D459), Gus Huebner (D481), Aaron Ide (D686), Brian Ide (D452), David Moore (D442), Adam Sprecace (D341), and Kyle Swaidner (D463). A fourth team, the Robocats (Team 1699) from Bacon Academy in Colchester, did not attend the FIRST Championship. Electric Boat employees mentoring this team are Brad Graham (D438), Rachel Graham (D438), Sam Melton (D441), and Gary Rice (D438). The students and mentors on these teams are deserving of recognition for their accomplishments. As a sponsor of the New England FIRST program, Electric Boat provides support for the New England District Events and Championship. To recognize the outstanding performance of the three local teams that attended the FIRST Championship and to show support for the employees that volunteer their time and talent to this cause, Electric Boat helped to cover the travel costs for each team. After such a landmark 2017 competition season, the teams, schools, and community can proudly celebrate their achievements. ELECTRIC BOAT NEWS | FALL/WINTER 2017 | 13.