We are Rockway Robotics, FRC Team 8089 from Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener, Ontario. Our robotics team is a place for all high school students from Rockway to explore STEM and to ignite their curiosity. We are an inclusive team celebrating our differences and depending on each other’s strengths to compete in the technical challenges presented by FIRST®.
There are many ways for students to get involved in the Rockway Robotics program. We have a marketing team that actively promotes our work through social media and seeks external sponsors to ensure the team is financially viable. There are students focused on designing and building complex mechanisms to complete the tasks presented. Students wire the robot to deliver the correct voltage to various motors and other mechanisms. After all the design, build, and wiring is completed the programming team needs to step in to build a Java code base to make it all go, mapping various functionality to buttons on the handheld controller, as well as writing code for the robot to move autonomously for part of each match. Students do not need to have prior knowledge or skills in these areas to be part of the team, as we learn and grow together. We accept all students who have a passion for knowledge and the desire to create.
Teams receive a new challenge from FIRST® in early January of each year and then we have 6-8 weeks to design, build, and program a robot to be ready to compete. Our team provides a unique opportunity for students to learn alongside professional mentors who aid the team providing valuable knowledge and inspire a future career in STEM. Check out our team’s history or the variety of FRC Challenges throughout the last number of years.