GLOCESTER – The robotics staff from Ponaganset Excessive College returned to the world stage this week, competing at a world championship occasion in Houston, Texas for the second consecutive yr.
The Gongoliers, as they’re identified, certified for the occasion on the New England District FIRST Robotics Problem Championship, the place they have been one in every of two groups to obtain the Engineering Inspiration Award. The award celebrates excellent success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering inside a staff’s college and group, and was given after the staff met with judges to share their outreach efforts and element how they work to embody and unfold the mission of the FIRST program, “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Know-how.”
The honour made the staff one in every of two headed to worlds from Rhode Island – with simply over one week to plan, buy airplane tickets and fundraise for the worldwide competitors.
Thankfully, a GoFundMe campaign set as much as assist the Gongoliers raised practically $8,000 for the trouble in mere days, and stays open.
Based in 2013 as an extracurricular exercise inside the highschool’s STEM Academy, the staff competed of their first World Championship final yr after profitable the 2024 New England District Championship. In Houston, the Gongoliers earned third of their division in 2024.
A video created as a part of this yr’s award submission paperwork the staff’s different achievements. Crew members volunteer for occasions all year long, serving to to arrange the college for cross nation meets, providing peer tutoring and organizing a charity fund drive. The Gongoliers host the northern Rhode Island qualification occasion, aa effectively as a Girls in STEM convention every year. They mentor 5 FIRST LEGO League groups – a worldwide robotics program for kids and younger individuals, designed to introduce them to STEM ideas – and based the Rhode Island Robotics Alliance.
On the American Nationwide Guards Crew Expo, the PHS staff showcased a robotic to a crowd of greater than 700 company.
“By demos like these we make STEM accessible, displaying individuals of all ages that expertise isn’t one thing to watch, it’s one thing they will create,” notes the voiceover.
Crew members advocated on the state home to assist safe funding for robotics packages and in 2023, they partnered with one other staff to current to the Governor’s Workforce Board.
“Can the smallest state encourage a brand new era? Can one thing small actually change the world? Small issues could make an enormous distinction,” staff members observe within the submission. “We’re pioneers, volunteers, engineers, Gongoliers.”
The video helped to safe their place in Texas and so, final week, Crew 5112 robotic “Hermes,” and gear have been packed right into a truck to move again to the state together with different qualifying New England groups’ gear. College students flew out on Tuesday, April 15 to affix 600 different groups registered to compete from throughout the globe, together with teams from India, Turkey, Armenia, Mexico, Israel, Poland and China.
Through Saturday, April 19, they’re all vying for the Engineering Inspiration Award at the world level in matches at the George Brown Convention Center.
With their dedication, focus and passion for the educational hobby, it seems the Gongoliers have already won, no matter the outcome.
