BY HILARY HILTON
The Huntsville High School Hoya Robotics team proved once again that passion, dedication, and hard work pay off with their recent first-place win at the ONT District North Bay competition this past weekend.
The HHS Hoya Robotics team (team 4152) was founded by HHS teacher Ian McTavish in 2012 and currently holds 60 HHS students, with 25 core members. The team won first place at the 2022 FIRST Robotics Ontario Championship and the creativity award at the ONT District Georgian competition that took place on the March 3 weekend.
Ranking first place at the North Bay competition was not only an extraordinary accomplishment for the team but also an immense relief, as it ensured their spot in the FIRST Robotics Ontario Provincial Championships taking place in Hamilton this weekend, April 6 to 9. McTavish and the team’s 25 core members boarded a bus on April 5, eager to compete and hopeful for their success.
Team 4152 is currently ranked tenth in the province and if they stay within the top 23 after this weekend’s competition, they will qualify to compete in the FIRST Robotics World Championships taking place in Houston, Texas on April 18 to 23.
“Right now, we’ve got a really good shot at getting the invite,” McTavish says. “We’re hoping, but anything could happen.”
This weekend, team 4152 will be competing in the technology division, which consists of 40 teams. The team is well prepared and their spirits are high, but McTavish says that this competition, as with any, will come with its challenges.
“We are up against the best team in the world in this competition [Team 2056 from Stoney Creek, Ont]; they set the world record last year for the highest score,” McTavish states. “Our goal is to do as well as we can and get into the playoffs. Our primary goal is to rank high enough to qualify for Worlds.”
The team’s 2023 robot, Stinger, has been meticulously programmed and designed by the team and many hours since January have gone into ensuring it is equipped for this season’s competitions. McTavish says that the team is constantly improving the robot so it is able to execute its tasks with more complexity at each new competition. He is hoping the work they have done on Stinger since the North Bay competition will pay off this weekend in Hamilton, and, if all goes well, at the World Championships as well.
“If the team qualifies for the World Championships, we will spend the next week practicing and improving and then figuring out how we’re getting to Texas,” McTavish says.
To compete in the World Championships means an opportunity for team 4152 to showcase their skills and to represent their school and community on a global scale. However, a trip to Texas for the team will require a great deal of funds, which they are working to acquire through donations and fundraising.
McTavish says that the team will be running a bottle drive and planning to host a community barbeque in order to raise funds. He says the team also relies heavily on donations and the easiest way to donate is through the team’s Canada Helps page.
On behalf of team 4152, McTavish extends gratitude to all the supporters in the Huntsville and surrounding communities who have made team 4152’s dream of competing a reality.
“A big thank you to all the supporters who have donated to our team, it’s made a world of difference,” he says. “There’s kids that are going to be going on their first trip out of the country thanks to that support.”
To support the team you can make a donation, HERE.
You’ll also f find more information on HHS Hoya Robotics Team 4152, HERE
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