FIRST Robotics Team #34 Handbook

The Rockets

LimestoneCareerTechnicalCenter

505 East Sanderfer Road

Athens, AL

Welcome

Congratulations on becoming a member of the LimestoneCareerTechnicalCenter’s FIRST Robotics Team #34– The Rockets. We believe that you will find your experiences very rewarding and enjoyable. This guide is intended to give you an understanding of the program and your responsibilities as a student team member. In the following pages, you will find information relating to the history, rules, guidelines, organization at events, travel and many other aspects of our team.

Please review all the information very carefully. If you have any other questions or concerns that this guide has not covered, do not hesitate to ask a mentor. For current schedules or information, contact Monica McConnell, Brian Terry, Debbie Wilson, or Mike Raneyor check the calendar on our website at

Qualificationsto be a Team member are important to ensure the goals and objectives of the team will be accomplished with quality and efficiency.

What makes a good team member?

The list below is some of the attributes, characteristics and school related requirements that are reviewed for student to travel and continue school participation in the team.

Grade Point Average of “2.0/C” or better is required to be selected as a member of the robotics team. Additionally, team members must maintain a grade of “2.0/C” in each grading period and semester to continue to be an active team member. During the course of the competition season, team activities absorb many valuable hours of team members free and study time. A strong ethic in study habits and a history of achievement in the classroom is essential to maintaining and improving a team member’s academic progress.A failing semester grade in anyclass AND/OR excessive school absences willcause a student to disqualify from traveling or even participating with the team. This will be determined at least 2 weeks prior to traveling to any event.

Demonstrations of Positive Learning Habits are related to study skills, classroom assignments, grades, accountability, and classroom / school involvement. A team member’s current grades, personality, and achievements are powerful statements about his or her learning habits and responsibility.

Good Attendance, Punctuality, and Dependability are indicators of a team member’s commitment to their education and future. A team member needs to be available and ready to participate as much as possible. When asked to participate, establishing a record of dependability and punctuality is essential to team organization and efficiency. Difficult choices with scheduling conflicts as well as time management must be demonstrated at regular intervals (ex. Band, Sports, Employment, etc…)

Consistent Demonstration of Good Judgment and Positive Behavior: Each team member is an ambassador of our school as well as a representative of the Limestone County School System. Team members need to be role models for other students to emulate and respect. Solid behavior choices should be demonstrated at all times, in and out of school activities, competition, and at our sponsors’ facilities.

Ability to commit to a Project: Starting a project and following it through to the end is critical to team performance. Team members need to dedicate themselves to not get side-tracked or discouraged. A large commitment of time to Team Events is necessary for success as a Team Member.

Ability to Work both Independently and as a Team Member:Being able to be a team player by doing what is needed for the team is an asset to all. Following directions unsupervised in a large group is a key necessity for success. However, working independently with little or no direction when needed shows dedication and willingness to learn.

Interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Robotics and Related Fields: The team member needs to have a genuine interest and an overall goal related to these fields of study. Activities, classes and career choices demonstrate this.

Demonstration of Honesty and Integrity is looked upon as important attributes of a quality person. Demonstration of these attributes may be found in your teacher recommendation and daily activities.

Time to Spend on Activities: This activity requires many hours of a team member’s time. Careful planning and scheduling may be required to stay actively involved. In some cases, choices as to other activities may need to be made. Other activities may be included in your achievements, but time management is necessary.

Team Profile: Each team member is required to complete a team member profile to display on our website. Care should be taken to complete the profile as neat and thorough as possible.

Selection Process

Preliminary Selection Process

Selecting a team is a very difficult task for the mentors. Typically, there are many team applicants including team members from the previous year that also must reapply. Being a member on the team the previous year is no guarantee of a place the next year.

The process starts with the Screening Application and Teacher Recommendations. Applications are available to ALL students attending LimestoneCareerTechnicalCenterA.M. and P.M.session classes. Advertisement and recruiting for the team is done via the announcements, teachers, word of mouth, and postings in the school.

All screening applications are reviewed for missing or inaccurate information. The applicant is contacted as needed to provide the data that is missing. A review is conducted of the team member’s records in the office (data on absences, tardies, behavior, and grades). This is approximately a two-week process.

Final Selection Process

Finalist from the preliminary selection process are interviewed and rated upon the interview and application process.

The education mentors review qualifications of all applicants and hope to build a team that will accomplish the team goals.

Difficult decisions are often made to reduce the quantity to a target team size. The final selection willbe the best effort at making a team that will represent our team’s corporate sponsorsand the LimestoneCareerTechnicalCenter in the FIRST robotics competition(s).

Students selected for the team will be notified of acceptance during the school day. They will be given a team member handbook and other team materials at the annual Kick-Off Orientation (this meeting is REQURIED).

Students not selected will be notified and encouraged to re-apply next year.

Kick-Off Meeting / Orientation

All team members will attend an orientation/meeting to get started on the FIRST experience. This orientation will take place in the fall after the team is chosen and will introduce new team members to all facets of the Rocket Robotics Team. Please sit down with your parents and read the Rocket Robotics Handbook that will be given out at this orientation. At this orientation, you will be asked to sign the attendance policy, behavior contract, and team member contract. One parent is encouraged to attend this orientation.

F.I.R.S.T.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an organization that focuses on inspiring team members about math and science. FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. FIRST sponsors a nationwide robotics competition, where many high school team members and adults get very excited about technology and compete within a challenging and fun atmosphere. The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams of team members and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard "kit of parts" and a common set of rules. Teams build robots from the parts and enter them in competitions designed by FIRST.

Gracious Professionalism

Gracious professionalism is the only acceptable behavior for all team members. As a team member, each team member and adult represents our corporate sponsors and LimestoneCountyCareerTechnicalCenter. Whether one is involved in events with the local community or at other events, one’s behavior is representative of their own team as well as the FIRST organization. All team members will be gracious, helpful, supportive, and will demonstrate sportsmanship in victory and defeat. Team members will display the objectives of the FIRST program, and this role must be taken seriously.

Gracious Professionalism includes:

  • Respect for the feelings, opinions, and lifestyles of other team members
  • Respect for tools and equipment
  • Best behavior at all times
  • Good sportsmanship
  • A positive attitude
  • A clean vocabulary
  • Friendly and polite to all persons

Rockets Robotics Partnership

Active members of the Rockets Robotics Team may include:

 LimestoneCareerTechnicalCenter students and teachers

 Industry leaders / employees

 Parents of LCTC / Rockets team members

 Community leaders as needed

The partners on this team provide the following:

 Team members & sponsoring teachers

 Engineer mentoring

 Animation project – teaching & mentoring

 Hosting of workshops

 Hosting of Robotics Portable

 Hosting of Website

 Public Affairs and Fundraising support

Team Goals:

 Inspire team members about technology, math, science, and engineering

 Prepare team members for leadership roles

 Promote the ideals of FIRST

 Increase community and state awareness of science and technology education

 Introduce team members to positive role models

 Preparing for tomorrow’s technology through today’s education

Team History

The LCTC Rockets Robotics Team ( competes in the FIRST Robotics Competition ( as “Team 34”.The Team has a rich history of success to grow and build upon. Understanding where you have been lays a firm foundation to where you are going. So where did it all begin …………

1996

•Chrysler Huntsville Electronics sets out to find local High Schools interested in starting a team.

•BobJonesHigh School takes Chrysler up on their amazing offer.

• A team is born and dubbed “Rocket City Robotics” as the team members begin work on the first robot!

•Team 34 is the first FIRST team in Alabama

1997

•Attended FIRST Robotics Nationals at Epcot placed 9th out 113.

1998

•Top 9 in the AutoDesk Submission.

•1 of 12 Teams in the United States invited by FIRST to participate in the “Havoc on the Hill” Competition at the Congressional Rayburn Building in Washington DC.

1999

•Top 5 in the AutoDesk Submission

•Host of PilotState Tournament FLL

•Day One Daimler and Chrysler merge

2000

• “Driving Tomorrow’s Technology” Award

•Regional Quarter Finalist 2000 – Virginia Regional formerly known as South Atlantic Regional

•2000 Voted Favorite “Sharing FIRST” Team

•“Amazing Kids” Award Recipient 2000

•Top 5 in the AutoDesk Submission

•Incorporated New CenturyTechnologyHigh School into Team 34

2001

  • 2001 Lone Star Regional Finalist

2002

•2002 Lone Star Regional Winner

•Third seed at St. Louis Regional

•Imagery Award winner St. Louis Regional

•Incorporated ButlerHigh School into Team 34

2003

•2003-PeachTree Regional Winners

•2003 Peachtree Best Website Award

•2003 Peachtree Team Spirit Award

•2003 Peachtree Motorola Quality Award

•2003 Peachtree 3rd Place Autodesk Submission

•2003 Lone Star Regional Winner

•2003 Lone Star Best Website Award

•2003 Judges Award

•2003 KPCB Award

•2003 Lone Star 2nd Place Autodesk Submission

•2003 Quarter Finalist National Championship

2004

  • 2004 Peachtree Finalist
  • 2004 Peachtree Engineering Inspiration Award
  • 2004 Peachtree Website Award
  • 2004 Palmetto Xerox Creativity Award
  • 2004 Palmetto Website Award

2005

  • Incorporated LimestoneCountyCareerTechnicalCenter into Team 34
  • 6th Seed at Peachtree Regional
  • 2005 Imagery Award Palmetto Regional
  • 2005 Peachtree Woodie Flowers Award

2006

  • 2006 Sacramento Best Website Award
  • 2006 Peachtree KPCB Award
  • 2006 Palmetto KPCB Award
  • 2006 UL Safety Award

2007

  • Continental purchases Siemens VDO Automotive
  • 2007 Bayou Regional Quarter Finalist
  • 2007 J&J Sportsmanship AwardBayou Regional
  • 2007 Honorable Mention – Safety Fundamentals Bayou Regional
  • 2007 Palmetto Regional Quarter Finalist
  • 2007 Imagery Award Palmetto Regional
  • 2007 National Imagery Award – National Championship

2008

  • Peachtree Regional -Best Website Award
  • 2008 Peachtree Regional -Chairman's Award
  • 2008 Peachtree Regional -Finalist - Silver Medal
  • FIRST Website Excellence Award
  • 2008 Bayou Regional - Semi Finalist

2009

  • 2009 Peachtree Regional – Quarter Finalist
  • Peachtree Regional - Best Website Award
  • FIRST Website Excellence Award
  • Johnson & Johnson Gracious Professionalism Award
  • 2009 Lone Star Regional - Semi-Finalist
  • Lone Star Regional - Chrysler Team Spirit Award
  • 2009 Lone Star –Honorable Mention – Safety Fundamental

2010

  • 2010 Peachtree Regional - Finalist -- 2nd in robot competition out of 50

competitive teams

  • Motorola Quality Award
  • Team Safety Award
  • Ed Sparks, an industry mentor, received the Peachtree Regional Woodie

Flowers Award

2011

  • 2011 Bayou Regional – Quarter Finalist
  • Bayou Regional - Industrial Design Award
  • 2011 SmokeyMountain Regional –Semi Finalist

2012

  • 2012 Peachtree Regional – Quarter Finalist
  • Motorola Quality Award

Rewardsfor being a Rocket

More important than receiving awards, team members are receiving inspiration. Many Rockets alumni are pursuing science and engineering majors at prominent universities, and several have entered technical careers in the workforce. This is proof that FIRST is inspiring and that being a Rocket is rewarding. The Rockets have made a name for themselves and are a leader in the FIRST community while receiving numerous awards as well as respect from our peers.

 There are MANY scholarships available for FIRST Team members. Check out

 The experiences to which the Rockets are exposed open doors for jobs or internships within valley-wide corporations and other high-tech companies.

 The team-building skills, positive role models, leadership training, and technical training will be an asset to the team members as they face the challenges of life that are to come.

 Many corporations across the nation are participating in FIRST and want to hire FIRST team members. Being on a FIRST team will expose team members to these corporations and help teach the skills that these companies desire.

Along with team members getting inspired, engineers and teachers are having fun while sharpening their design, teaching, and leadership skills. This group of mentors works closely together and learns from each other. Parents are inspired by team member progress and working with their children in a common goal in this time of family value disintegration.

Team Members: Rocket team members have many ways to be involved in the team activities. Team members can be involved in design, leadership, marketing, publications, public relations, fabrication, and CAD, scouting, and animation projects as they develop their skills and have fun. Your Team Profile will indicate your preferences as to the areas of work you would like to be involved with in competition and what team positions you would like to hold.

Sub Teams: The Rocket Robotics Team is made of several sub teams to get the FIRST projects completed. By dividing into specialized groups, team members are able to focus on specific aspects of the projects. The sub-teams will be: Build Team (Electrical, Mechanical, Programming, and Base), Animation Team, Chairman’s Award Team, Fundraising Team, Marketing Team, and Team Spirit.

Drafting/Design Team (also members of other sub-teams)

Drafting/Design Team will be responsible for assisting with the designing and drawing parts for the build team to follow. These students will be trained on several types of software including but not limited to Inventor and CAD. This team works in close relation with the Mechanical Build Team to maintain continuity between parts designed, drawn, and built.

Build Team (Meets 3-5 days per week during 6-week build season)

Build Team consists of a combination of Electrical, Base, Mechanical, Programming, and Design group. These groups work together in conjunction with the other Teams to plan, organize, and build our competition robot during the 6-week build period. We get boxes of parts fromFIRST in early January and have six weeks to complete and ship our robot back to FIRST. This is the most time-consuming of all committees. IF you do not think you can put commit the time, then this committee is not for you.

These four groups work year round to perfect several different methods of steering and motion, types of bases and methods to perform their jobs. Programming with autonomous mode is very important and the mechanical group must be prepared for different appendages as needed.

Under the direction of Mentors, this team uses many tools, machines and techniques to design, fabricate, and build all the components in our robot from scratch. We then must assemble, test, and adjust our robot for both function and form.

Chairman’s Award Team

The Chairman’s Award is the greatest honor in the FIRST competition. The award is given to the team that best exemplifies the ideals of FIRST. To exemplify FIRST a team must show community involvement, demonstrate their partnership, inspire other teams, is a role model and be of service to the community of FIRST.

To earn this award the team must demonstrate all aspects of their team by the creation of a Chairman’s submission in the form of a written submission and/or visual as well as a well-rehearsed presentation to a panel of judges. There are very specific criteria for this submission as well as a specific due date.

This sub team is made up of team members that are interested in documenting our team’s efforts in the form of a submission. This submission can take on many forms. Usually a theme is selected early in the fall and the team focuses its efforts toward this theme. Coordination with the other sub groups is essential for the success of the project. The resulting document is a chronicle of our team’s effort. This team will include a videographer/photographer and a presentation specialist as well as several public speakers.

Marketing Team

(also members of other sub-teams)

This team works to hone interviewing skills and presentations. They often speak directly to groups, judges and the media. Often they are stationed outside the pit area to greet other team members and present our image to the public. This team will also prepare and present a PowerPoint presentation, brochures, and any other literaturedepicting the purpose, history, goals, and functioning of the Rockets and FIRST. They will present it to prospective sponsors, media, prospective new teams, community groups, and anyone else interested in knowing about The Rockets and FIRST. The Team Photographer will be a member of this team.