Spotlight on geekStarters: Father Mercredi Community High School

Robotics enthusiasts from Father Mercredi Community High-School in Fort McMurray

Want to learn more about the robotics team at Father Mercredi Community High-School? Here is what they shared with us.

• What is unique about your team? 

Several things actually. We have students from grade 7-12 that are members of our RSports group. Seniors mentor the younger members during our regular meetings and through outreach. We are also committed to equal opportunity by providing all girls teams in the 3 levels of robotics we have.  The Senior Girls FRC (First Robotics Competition team) 5597 has had been a true inspiration for our female student population.

• What is your team’s favorite fun activity? What’s something your team does to bond?

This may sound weird but we collect recyclables twice a week. All of us are required to help.  Despite the context of our meeting we still get to meet with everyone, grades 7-12 and collect the schools recyclables. We  do have fun and from this activity some of our strongest leaders have emerged.
We meet every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday and get to hang out and learn robotics-based things such as programming, CAD and fabrication techniques; competition has created the greatest bond within our teams.

• How does your team use social media?

We have Facebook accounts for the entire robotics group https://www.facebook.com/fmcpn.ab/ Members  use Twitter, Instagram and sometimes snapchat.

• How would you describe your team’s project in 3 sentences or less?

The projects are problems we have to solve through the use of Robotics, CAD/CAM, Coding and various Fabrication techniques to achieve our aims. Currently we have 5 Robotics projects in progress.

• What has been one highlight of working on your project so far?

Working with professionals.

• What is your team’s biggest challenge?

Computer programming and finances to fund our fabrication efforts and travel.

• What does your team look forward to the most this season?

Competition, meeting new youth from around the world! Last year we met students from Israel, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil and many from the US and across Canada.

• What do you hope to achieve by the end of this season?

Having constructed a competitive robot in FRC and VEX and earning a place at the competitions. On the non-competitive side of RSports we plan to finish several robotics projects; 4 barrel t-shirt cannon, black bear Robot to help train Security Dogs, Monitoring Waterways Underwater ROV project, and a Drone project working with media Arts Students to photograph and video.

• Where would you like to see your project go in the future? What are your team’s dreams for the future?

We would like to share our work with the community that has supported us and through this inspire more youth to get involved in Robotics.