Alstom-Sponsored Student Robotic Teams Compete in Richmond, Virginia

The Virginia Regional segment of the 20th Annual FIRST Robotics Competition took place in Richmond, VA April 7-8, with 64 high school robotics teams from Virginia, Maryland, D.C., New Jersey and Canada. Teams competed against each other, and formed alliances, with the winners moving on to the FIRST FRC Championship in St. Louis, April 27th-30th.

ALSTOM has been a financial supporter to the FIRST program for over ten years and sponsors three to four teams each year. In addition to the financial aid, Alstom engineers mentor the students and provide invaluable guidance in problem solving, teamwork, and professionalism.

FIRST events challenge students to leverage math, science, marketing, and ingenuity in a team environment to build robotic solutions to complex problems. Students participate in programs which challenge each student to conduct research, collaborate with mentors, and finally build and program the robot to complete various tasks. Unlike sporting events, FIRST encourages each student to demonstrate gracious professional throughout the program by sharing information, tools, and ideas to ensure each team develops an operational robot throughout the competition.

Lead mentor of the Robohawks, team #346 is Paul Elkovich, VP of Thermal Services, Turbine Generator Operations in Richmond, who has been mentoring at the L.C. Byrd High School robotics program for over eight years.

The attraction to mentor students is to give them an appreciation for the real world application of engineering. But the real hook of being part of this fast-paced competition is that it is down-right exciting, interesting, and fun. As lead mentor, its like working two full-time jobs. The satisfaction is far beyond what words can describe, said Elkovich.

Students who have participated in the robotics program continue on in pursuit of engineering/technical degrees. Several students from the program have been awarded college scholarships in engineering fields. College graduates from the high school program include degrees in biomedical and mechanical engineering.

The regional competition was fast and furious and Team #346 was challenged as they competed with enthusiasm and spirit. The 2011 game, Logo Motion, included pick up and place, where robots try to hang inflated shapes on pegs of various heights. Specific combinations scored additional points. In the final seconds, robots had the opportunity to deploy minibots to climb high towers for an exciting end game that can quickly change the final outcome.

In addition to Elkovich, a number of Alstom associates serve as mentors or volunteers with the Robotics Program.

• FIRST Robotics Website