Robotics 2The Valley Christian Robotics program has been making a splash in the media this week. The program was featured by both ABC 15 and the Ahwatukee Foothills News.

For the first time in school history, the Valley Christian Robotics program will host an Arizona FTC Qualifying event. The two-day event will be held in Barnes Hall and Bradley Gymnasium on November 21 and 22. The event is free to the public.  Matches begin on Saturday at 10:00am in Bradley Gym.

The Valley Christian Robotics program has grown to the point where Valley Christian now sponsors two teams.

In addition to being featured on ABC 15’s The List afternoon news show, the robotics teams were highlighted by Daniel Ochoa in the Ahwatukee Foothills News:

Valley Christian High School will host the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Tech Challenge qualifier event this Saturday.

Fifteen high school teams from across Arizona will compete during the event in hopes to advance to the 2015 FTC Robotic Competition, which will take place in February in Flagstaff.

Spectators can watch the competition inside Valley Christian’s gymnasium and visit the “robotic pit area” to speak with the 200 students within the competition and check out the different types of robots.

This year’s competition will focus on a “Cascade Effect” challenge in which teams will be asked to use their robots to collect as many whiffle balls during an allotted time that is given.

The FIRST program was created to inspire students to become science and technology leaders while using engineering and technology skills.

AJ Bierly, a junior at Valley Christian and member of the school’s robotics team, said the team has been trying to get the word around the school to find students who are interested in volunteering at the competition.

The robotics team rounded up 60 volunteers, and accumulated donations from local business to provide refreshments.

“It’s really cool to see the community and the entire school come together because the robotics program here at the school has been isolated by itself, but this year, a lot of people have been really motivated about the program,” Bierly said. “It’s really cool to see everyone excited about robotics throughout the entire school.”

Nick Bacon, a mathematics teacher and robotics mentor, said Valley Christian will not participate in the competition since the school is hosting the event, but it will participate in the near future.

The FTC qualifier will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at Valley Christian High School, 6900 W. Galveston St., Chandler. The event is free and open to the public.