Western Albemarle High School Robotics Club
A huge thank you to our sponsors, who make all of this possible for us!
Our Mission
Welcome! We are Western Albemarle High School (WAHS) Robotics, a club that competes in the First Tech Challenge. Our club is are comprised of three teams and over 25 members! Our club works to promote accessible STEM education in Central Virginia, and with help from our sponsors, we have been accomplishing this for over 12 years!
Follow us on Instagram at @wahsrobotics1
The Competition
FTC, or the First Tech Challenge, is an annual robotics competition in which teams build robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The objective of the competition changes annually, meaning teams build, program, and create CAD models of new robots each year! For example, this year, the challenge was to design a robot to quickly deliver cones onto tall, flexible poles! The program is built around the values of “Gracious Professionalism”, and working for the benefit of the communities worldwide. In partaking in this competition, we not only learn much about designing, constructing, and coding robots but also develop strong skills in teamwork, leadership, and organization! Read more about FTC on their website linked below.
Our Teams
We are more than just robots! Brought together by a common interest in robotics, we succeed through the power of teamwork and collaboration and strive to embody the idea of “Gracious Professionalism”, on and off the playing field, learning every step of the way.
Due to the incredible number of students that make up our community, our club is comprised of three teams! We have found that this helps to foster friendly competition, whilst teaching organization and coordination skills when working with the other teams to share space, parts, tools, and ideas. Every one of our team members has something new to bring to the table, and so we work to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard.
WAHS Robotics builds friendships and comradery that lasts a lifetime. Find out more about our teams and the people behind the machines!
Founded in 2011
The oldest of the three teams, and aptly named for the all-too-common robotics experience!
Founded in 2014
Her Majesty’s Engineers (HME) allowed us to expand our horizons to accommodate for the many new members!
Founded in 2017
Cable Management is our youngest team, brought together by a love for wire organization!
The Loose Screws Robot in Competition
This robot uses Mechanum wheels, drawer slides, and a servo-controlled 3d-printed arm to lift and place cones with ease. The side-mounting of the motion mechanisms enabled rapid cone pickups and placements!
Our Robots
The Cable Management Robot
An advanced autonomous sequence and lightweight parallel slide mechanism allowed this robot to not only succeed in competition but also serve as a reliable demonstration of engineering principles for the next generation of STEM enthusiasts!
Her Majesty’s Engineer’s Robot in Progress
This robot used a compact grabbing mechanism to lift and place cones, reaching high speeds through efficient pathing! 3d-printed phone carriers and batteries made for a well-organized design.
Upcoming Events
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Our first competition is on January 21st!
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Demonstrating our robots to future STEM enthusiasts.