On Saturday, March 12, 2022, Penn-Trafford High School competed in the Western PA State Robotics Tournament held at Clarion University. Forty-three teams competed, including five teams from Penn-Trafford as well as teams from Dubois, North Clarion, Cranberry, Sarah Heinz House, East Allegheny, New Castle, and other teams from Western PA.
The object of this competition, named “Tipping Point”, was to build, program, and drive robots on a 12’ x 12’ playing field to collect mobile goals (misshaped rings) and balance them on a large see-saw type goal. Each 2-minute round began with a 15 second autonomous period for which the teams pre-programmed the robot movements; during the remaining 1:45 team members were permitted to drive their robots via remote control.
Two Penn-Trafford teams won awards which earned them spots at the VEX World Robotics Championship in Dallas in May.
The Penn-Trafford High School Team of Ean Smith, Alec Gilmore, and Jason Pernick received the Excellence Award. This is the highest award presented in the VEX Robotics competition. The winning team exemplifies overall excellence in building a high-quality robotics program.
The Penn-Trafford High School Team of Zach Cassidy, Kyle Gamble, and Tyler Heidenreich received the Design Award. This award is presented to a team that demonstrates an organized and professional approach to the design process, project and time management, and team organization.
This is the third year in a row that Ean Smith and Jason Pernick have been involved with the robotics team and earned a spot in the World Championships. The previous two years Covid did not allow them to participate in person.
Jason Pernick, Ean Smith, and Alec Gilmore received the Excellence Award
Tyler Heidenreich, Kyle Gamble, and Zach Cassidy received the Design Award
The five Penn-Trafford teams with their robots
