MSS, Wiikwemkoong robotics squads do well

Now, it’s off to provincial championships

MANITOULIN—Both the Wiikwemkoong High School and Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS) robotics teams cleaned up at the McMaster University district FIRST Robotics championship this past weekend. Both the MSS and Wiikwemkoong High School teams will be heading to the provincials this weekend as a result. 

“The team did really well,” said Wiikwemkoong High School robotics mentor Chris Mara. “We placed 15th out of the qualifier, then we were picked by Alliance Team 5 and finished fourth in the championship.” The team also took home the Design Imagery Award.

“It was very good representation from both high schools on Manitoulin Island,” he added.

“The team cleaned up at McMaster,” stated MSS Manitoulin Metal 6865 mentor Yana Bauer. “As the kids said, ‘we left no crumbs behind.’ We are so excited and so proud of these amazing young people.”

“We get to do this all again with them in a few days,” said Ms. Bauer. “We leave again on Wednesday for provincials, which we qualified for with our robot Beehemoth, our Impact Team, Dean’s List, Woodie Flowers award, Engineering Inspiration. We also won the safety All-star award.” 

Ms. Bauer explained MSS team member Amara Wilson-Zegil won an safety all-star award at McMaster, Robyn-Ashley McNaughton was a Dean’s list winter at the district, mentor Caroline Black is a Woodie Flowers award provincial finalist, (with Yana Bauer being a world finalist), the team was a finalist in the Engineering Inspiration award, placing second overall with their robot at the McMaster event, leaving them in 36th among 130 teams in the provincial rankings for the season thus far. And MSS won an Impact District Inspiration award.

Both the Manitoulin Secondary School, Manitoulin Metal 6865 and the Wiikwemkoong High School team 5672 robotics teams won awards at their first robotics competitions.

“We did phenomenal with our robot, it was the best event we have ever had for our robot,” stated MSS team mentor Yana Bauer. “We competed for several awards and won the Engineering Inspiration Award, the second highest ranked award at the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition held in North Bay in March. “This award is presented to the team that advances engineering in the community and school. We were very proud to win this prestigious award,” she said noting that it means the team has also qualified for the provincial championship in this category.

“We competed at the University of Waterloo First Robotics District Event,” said Wiikwemkoong High School Team 5672 mentor Chris Mara. “Our team won the Imagery Design Award. We have a design team that took the ‘Reefscape’ ocean-water theme and designed it after talking to elders and looking at various concepts in Anishinabek culture and design. We did a woodland style theme.” 

Mr. Mara noted the design was on the team 5672 pit kit, shirts and featured on the robot itself. The award “recognizes the imagery and artistry of the team in coming up with the design.” He pointed out his team has a lot of talented individuals, “and everyone comes in with different skills sets. The design brings awareness of water health, which is very important in Anishinabek peoples’ lives, water health and the need to look after the oceans and water health.”

“We made it to the championship round of the robotics competition being selected as an alliance (team) partner,” said Mr. Mara, noting the team was one point away from being an alliance team captain. This was the team’s first event of the season, and they were competing against 29 other teams.

The Wiikwemkoong #5672 team is made up of 25 students, with students from Grades 9-12, said Mr. Mara. “The first day and a half of the competition was made up of elimination rounds, then an alliance round was chosen at the end of the qualification, so we were one of the top eight teams.”

“All the members of our team did a great job in every aspect of the competition,” stated Mr. Mara. 

The Wiikwemkoong team will be taking part in the McMaster First Lego Robotics competition which was to be held this past weekend.

“Our team’s robot was consistent (at the North Bay competition). We didn’t have any major technical issues, although there are always small issues that come up, but we were able to fix quickly.”

“Our team was the picked first in the alliance first round,” said Ms. Bauer, noting the MSS team was just one point off being an alliance captain. 

The Manitoulin Metal team finished 14th of the total of 30 teams. “This was our first event of the season, many of the other teams were competing for the second time this year. Our next competition will be the McMaster University competition. Given that we have a few days until this event we have had time to work on the automation of our robot, including having it climb from a barge into a cage. Other teams at the competition were also helping give us ideas to lift the 150-pound robot.”

Ms. Bauer said the Manitoulin Metal team was in a very good position to qualify for the provincials based on its efforts in using the robot itself in the competition. One-hundred teams in the province qualify for the provincials. The MSS team was in 85th place among the 130 teams prior to the McMaster event. 

“Our First Lego League Explore team was in attendance and competed with us at the same venue in North Bay,” said Ms. Bauer, noting all the team members range in age from 6-10. On Saturday they were interviewed by the judges, and they all received medals. “When they came out of the judges interview all the high school kids started clapping and shouting encouragement as they started walking down the hall.”

The First Lego League Explore teams, Coral Explorers and Crushers with their youth mentors competed in North Bay. They included youth mentors Jack Hartin, Samuel Pennings and Spencer Johnston, and youngsters Emily Anstice, Chloe Anstice, Gabe Hillyard, Theo Desjardins and Gil Hillyard. 

“This is what it is all about, encouraging the next generation in robotics,” said Ms. Bauer. “It’s about creating a legacy.” 

The Manitoulin Metal team was to take part in the McMaster University competition this past weekend. 

The MSS Robotics team includes Leora Desjardins, Venzel Fowler, Mckinley Fox, Nevaeh Harper, Jack Hartin, Tanner Hooper-Leblanc, Kaden Jamieson, Spencer Johnston, Madeline Keller, Dylan Kuntsi, Ryan Kuntsi, Sebastian Mara, Xavi Mara, Connor McCarthy, Kiki McGuin, Robyn-Ashley McNaughton, Alexis McVey, Nate Meeker, Connor O’Leary, Samuel Pennings, Isaac Quackenbush, Xander Thompson, Kimberlee Williams, Alex Wilson-Zegil, Amara Wilson-Zegil, as well as several teachers and community members, including Caroline Black, Yana Bauer and many others. 

The Wiikwemkoong High School team roster includes Grace Pitawanakwat, Jessica Wemigwans, Chyella George, Adrian Katt, Tristan Wemigwans, Liam Wassengeso, Avanya Wakegijig, Ellie-Anna Leedham, Jolton Pitawanakwat, Drake Osawamick-Wemigwans, Carter Pangowish-Peltier, Hope Eshkibok, Scarlet Pangowish, Alyssa Peltier, Adam Enosse, Patience Manitowabi, Adrian Manitowabi-Bell, Carmine Wemigwans, Zander Shawongonabe.

MSS will compete at the provincials in Mississauga April 2-5. “We hope everyone on the team can attend because they earned it over and over again. It is a very tight turn around,” said Ms. Bauer. “We invite parents and community members to join us and get to experience the event and see our Manitoulin team in action.” If anyone want to help the team as a sponsor or donor, they can send a cheque to MSS (MSS Robotics) or can donate online at https//bit.ly/mss-robotics-support.

Unfortunately, the Expositor was not able to reach Wiikwemkoong school mentor Chris Mara for the teams results at McMaster, prior this week’s press deadline.