The Strath Haven Robotics Team, the Positronic Panthers, kicked off their season this January with the challenge for this year, announced by the First Robotics Competition (FRC). The theme for this year’s competition is Deep Space, which was revealed through a video published on the FRC website. The Positronic Panthers are currently designing their robot with 15-20 individuals who participate in programming, strategizing, and building the robot all throughout the week and even on weekends. With all of the effort and time each member puts in, the Strath Haven Robotics Team is looking to score major points this season.

This year the team is working on ways to help new members find a position suited to them, which will make joining the team much easier. During Saturday meetings, the team leaders have created a looser environment which provides for bonding experiences for the players instead of focusing strictly on their work. The Robotics Team has become a place where members can have fun as they work in a collaborative environment.

According to Junior and Positronic Panthers secretary Dora Zeibekis, “Robotics has so many components to it that you really never get bored. There’s always someone to ask for help. All of our student leaders are really helpful if someone wants to learn more about a topic of programming, engineering, or even art.” With multiple areas to participate in and contribute to, the Robotics Team is always open for new members to join.

The leaders are also re-writing the guide book in an effort to help bring the team closer together, and they hope to continue this atmosphere for future members. According to Zeibekis, having strong leaders is one of the most important aspects of the team. “As a student leader, I’ve experienced many difficulties in robotics,” Zeibekis said. “It was actually very intimidating at first because all of our seniors from the past few years have left and I’ve looked up to them in many many ways. So when they went to college it was up to my friends and me to not only help manage the team, but to help improve aspects and bring us closer together.”

As the competitions near, the Positronic Panthers are working to spread robotics and STEM to the community. They are collaborating with the Haven art department to create new designs for spirit wear. After the competition, the team is thinking of hosting a robotics night; anyone who is interested is encouraged to come and participate in the event. Competitions officially begin on February 27th, and there is one held almost every week. The Positronic Panthers are aiming to go far in this year’s competition so come and show your support for the Robotics Team!