Orchard Park Secondary School and Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School students and staff and their 54-kilogram robots were among 459 teams competing in a game of shooting balls through a funnel shaped target and climbing four levels of monkey bars.  

“We are really proud to be lead sponsors of these teams, and others in the local school boards at both the elementary and secondary levels. The FIRST Robotics program is a fantastic experience for young people and a great entryway into STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields,” says Richard Do Couto, (Corporate Affairs).  

“We are happy to provide everything from financial sponsorship, mentorship and some in-kind materials to make these programs happen.” 

Both teams say they were happy to be back in the robot ring this year.   

Orchard Park (OP) finished 2022 with a record of 47-12-0 at four official events and finished first at provincials. The team finished 16th in its division at worlds, losing in the semi-final road. The OP robotics team was formed in 2007 and has made the worlds each year.  

Bishop Ryan (BR) finished with a record of 43-15-1 and finished sixth in its division in Houston, losing in the semi-final round. The team launched in 2015. 

“ArcelorMittal Dofasco has offered phenomenal support to our program,” says OP team coach Stan Hunter, who teaches computer engineering. “We would not be able to do what we’ve done without that.” 

The team this year included 39 students ranging from Grade 9 to Grade 12. But because of the pandemic, only one or two students had been to the world championships before.  “It was a steep learning curve for the team,” says Mr. Hunter. 

At the last world championships in 2019, the BR team was a runner up by a single point. This year’s team had only one veteran from that team.  

“It was so cool to be back at worlds,” says that student, Nathan Haldenby. “We had our robot loaded on the truck and ready to go to a competition when the world shut down (in March 2020) and we were told we couldn’t go.”

The team, which works out of the former St. Mary’s elementary school, has a full shop of fabrication machinery and 3D printers that allows students to build virtually all the hundreds of metal and plastic parts on their robot. This space was developed and funded by Dofasco and is used by several teams from across the region as a testing centre. 

Teams have from January, when the game’s rules are released, to the end of March to strategize a game approach, and design and build their robots. That involves about 30 hours a week for a total of 6,000 student hours.  

“It’s a process of continuous prototyping. We are constantly building, testing, and adjusting. There are infinite ways around a problem,” says Nathan, who will study environmental business and math at the University of Waterloo in September.

“It’s a process of continuous prototyping. We are constantly building, testing, and adjusting. There are infinite ways around a problem."

While a robot build happens in a few months, the robotics team is working year-round on training on design software and machinery. Industry mentors, parents and alumni pitch in, too, says Chris Pinto, a science teacher at BR and coach of the team. “It’s so amazing to see what the students do. They are hardworking and motivated to learn new things.” 

Ultimately, the goal of FIRST is to attract young people to STEM careers. Mr. Hunter says about 85 per cent of OP’s robotics members have gone on to studies in STEM fields and work at companies that include ArcelorMittal Dofasco, IBM, Google, Tesla, and GM and have launched their own start-ups. One student was just hired by Elon Musk to work at Neuralink — a company that aims to directly link the human brain to computers. 

“Companies love to see FIRST involvement on resumés. They know what kind of students take part in robotics," Pinto says.

Student Elisha Matharu at OP says she’s learned a variety of skills, including leadership, delegation and time management, in her four years on the team. She will study computer engineering at Waterloo in September.  “This is about creating solutions to things that may seem impossible," Elisha says.

Grade 9 student Michelle Bilan at BR ran the laser cutter for most of the year and is now learning design software. She was also part of the pit crew at competition. “Everything I’ve done so far is helping to prepare me. I want to work as an aerospace engineer," Michelle says.

While the competition is stiff, it is not cut-throat, says Mr. Pinto. Teams want to see every other team at their best. BR even has a roving team that moves around the competition floor helping other teams with repairs. In fact, the BR team helped an international competitor that needed a fabricated part in 2019. That was the team that went on to beat BR by a single point.  

“We’ve worked to develop a reputation as a high-performing team but also that we collaborate with other teams to make them better. We are proud of that," he says.

BR practises in the Robodrome, a full-scale practise field just down the hall from the team’s shop. “Dofasco has been an amazing supporter of robotics at BR,” says Mr. Pinto. “The company helped us create the Robodrome and provides us with mentors. They’ve helped us build a culture of excellence and of safety, too.”