Airmen help make Del Rio HS robotics team a reality

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nathan L. Maysonet
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Del Rio High School's first ever robotics team is gearing up for battle at the Rebound Rumble competition in San Antonio March 1-3.

As the final days tick by, six weeks of careful planning, design, experimentation and hard work from 32 Del Rio High School students and their mentors is taking shape.

"It is the hardest fun you will ever have," said Master Sgt. Stephen Keltgen, 47th Flying Training Wing test measurement diagnostic equipment flight chief and Team 4063's project manager. "Just being involved with it is great."

Keltgen, one of several Laughlin Airmen contributing their time and energy to help Team 4063 'TRikzR4kiDz' succeed, has watched as countless bits and pieces were molded together for a competition that could see them battling thousands.

"They are pretty excited," said Keltgen. "Some are stressing over the time crunch, but they are getting it done and they are doing it well."

The San Antonio competition is part of a series of international matchups sponsored by New Hampshire based 'For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology'. FIRST is a nonprofit organization that for 20 years has challenged teams of youths from around the world to build a robot in six weeks to compete in various games and challenges.

"I think this truly does inspire them," said Keltgen. "It is inspiring them to attempt more and to build fun things for other schools and events to make the community aware of what our schools can do. They want to give something back."

The challenge this year was to develop a robot capable of launching a basketball into basketball hoops of different heights.

After picking up the team's robot parts in San Antonio Jan. 7, Team 4063 set to work designing a number of prototypes.

"The Air Force teaches you to see the big picture and how to delegate, not micromanage," said 2nd Lt. Zachary Bierhaus, 47th Student Squadron and manufacturing and design mentor to Team 4063. "We brought that training with us and helped the students stay focused and motivated during the design process."

It was this focus and guidance that pushed the robotics team on.

"The Air Force and teacher mentors bring the expertise that the kids need," said Kevin Bass, president of the Del Rio High School Robotics Booster Club. "They bring the real world experience that you can't put a price tag on."

Team 4063 quickly absorbed these lessons, learning to use software and tools and then adapting that knowledge to build and accomplish tasks at a college skill level, said Bierhaus.

Rather than purchase additional parts off the shelf, the students recycled and fabricated what they could themselves.

"They would sketch it, develop it on the computer and then make it an architectural drawing with all the details," said Keltgen. "I could look at their work and say if this was an Air Force project, their designs are valid."

The whole competition, however, is about more than just building a robot. It is about teamwork, an effort that goes into making the project a reality, said Keltgen. Work that includes building a team website, running computers, marketing, planning, scheduling and crafting logistics needed to put it all together.

The kids did all of it, Bass said. The mentors just helped to guide and encourage the team when the 20 to 30 hours each week students gave on top of their school work seemed too much.

"I'm proud of the kids and love seeing how much they've grown," Keltgen said. "We learn about team work in the Air Force, but at times it is hard. We build the team back up and try to be there every day to show we care."

Team 4063's dedication and hard work over the last 42 days has paid off and Feb. 21, their robot will be packed up until the competition starts.

"Being a rookie team we had little experience," said Cameron French, student and robot programming team leader. "We are a little slow, but we are speeding up and it should go well."

If the team wins, they will go on to compete in St. Louis.

"They have accomplished so much and you can see it in their eyes, they have applied what they have learned," said Keltgen. "They may not be first, but they won't be last."

For more info on Team 4063 visit their website at http://team4063.org/