For the first time in Apple Pi history, the brainy team of high school-age robot engineers will be headed to the annual National Championship of the FIRST Robotics Competition. The competition, pitting Apple Pi’s robot against hundreds of other robots nationwide, will be held in St. Louis, MO., April 25-28. Also for the first time in the organization’s history, the team includes participants from Branford and Madison in addition to the core group of more than 20 students who hail from Guilford. Branford’s participants are Branford High School sophomore Emily Yale and BHS freshman Sonny Giannini. Madison’s Daniel Hand High School senior Casey O’Connor is Chief Strategist for the team. Apple Pi, formerly a Guilford High School-based group, is now part of the 4-H Club of America allowing for the inclusion of students from other towns. If you have a student interested in participating in the future visit www.applepirobotics.org.

In early March the team brought their robot, a device built in just six weeks per organization requirements, to the WPI FIRST Robotics Competition in Worcester, MA. Mentor Wendy Barry, a Guilford resident, said the team was seeded 30th prior to the competition start. Securing first place in the event and earning automatic spot at the upcoming finals in St. Louis was a shock to all, said Barry. “We didn’t know we were going to be able to play with the big boys.”

Now advancing onward in competition, the group has to come up with the travel funds and quickly!

Apple Pi, though taking its name from a relatively inexpensive treat, is a very expensive club to run. Barry explains that it costs about $30,000 a year for students to participate, build and compete. This year they set aside entry fees, totaling several thousands of dollars, to enter the WPI competition as well as the recently held FIRST Robotics Competition NortheastUtilities Connecticut Regionals. They had no intention of having to come up with more money to head to the finals, explaind Barry.

“We were in no danger of that happening… except we have a really good robot this year,” she laughed.

Apple Pi was backed the $5,000 entry fee for the nationals by sponsors Pratt & Whitney United Technologies Corporation and Rockwell Automotive (see all sponsors online). Now they are raising funds for travel expenses to head to St. Louis. There will be a car wash this weekend as well as on April 21 at Bishop’s Orchards in Guilford. You can also support Apple Pi by making a secure donation online through PayPal.

So what exactly does Apple Pi do and how did it start?

About six years ago, Al Bishop, owner of Bishop’s Orchards, traveled to New Hampshire where he saw his grandson compete in a robotics competition. Barry details that Bishop was so impressed that he insisted a local group start as well thus Apple Pi was born.

“Apple Pi is a group of high school students from Guilford and surrounding communities working to make the “connection” between the academic lessons of a high school curriculum and the world of an engineering-based business,” their website states. “Opportunities exist to take part in all aspects of the business – planning, financing, marketing, design and the building of a robot intended to compete against other robots in a game that changes every year. Students are presented with the real-world challenges dealing with time, budget and resource constraints.”

Now a senior, Barry’s son Trevor has been on the team for three years and is currently a driver of the robot. Seeing her son grow with the organization, Barry commented, “This team has transformed my son.”

“It teaches the kids… it’s not just about these robots. It’s about teamwork and actually how you work together to make and plan how you do these projects.”

FIRST Robotics held their inaugural competition back in 1992 in a New Hampshire high school gym and since has grown to include more than 250,000 student-participants and 24,000 robots.

According to their website, the FRC is “The varsity Sport for the Mind.” The game “combines the excitement of sport with the rigors of science and technology. Under strict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams of 25 students or more are challenged to raise funds, design a team “brand,” hone teamwork skills, and build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors. It’s as close to “real-world engineering” as a student can get.”

Barry agrees, stating that her team works tirelessly every year to compete. Every year the game is different, Barry explains, challenging the students to come up with a new and unique strategy and robot. This year, “Rebound Rumble,” challenged the students to create a robot to compete in a basketball-like game, which pits two alliances of three teams against each other.

The robot created by the students, Barry details, must run on its own for several minutes at the start of a match via programming. After that, the drivers of the team can man the robot to earn points.

“Not only are you building a new robot to play this game,” Barry shares, “but you have to come up with a strategy to play this game.”

Teams compete with two other groups in a three verses three scenarios, Barry said, which is what she called “cooperetition” (cooperation and competition). Essentially, teams can be playing with a group in one round and then against them the next.

Incredibly proud of the team, Barry said Apple Pie is ranked 48th out of 2,000 teams competing in the upcoming games.

Show your support for Apple Pi by tuning into the weekend events broadcast live streamed by NASA via webcast April 25-28; check the FRC website for details on when Apple Pi will compete.

http://branford.patch.com/articles/sharing-the-apple-pi

The 2012 champion of the Masters Tournament, Bubba Watson is one of the early commitments of the Travelers Championship.  Watson, winner of the 2010 Travelers Championship hit one of the most historic shots in Masters history on the second playoff hole when he hooked his approach shot from deep in the woods to within 15 feet of the cup.

Make a Pledge

NOTE: On the second page of the donation process, you must select the “CT FIRST” Charity, and in “Referred By (Optional)” you must type “Apple Pi Robotics Team 2067″.

Apple Pi wishes to congratulate the Cyber Knights (team 195), Birds of Prey (team 181) and the Rocketeers (team 20) for their outstanding play in the Championpionship round and their victory in the finals. We would also like to once again thank the Cyber Knights for allowing us to use their practice facility during the weeks preceding the regional events. One great example of “gracious professionalism”.

Thank you!

Apple Pi Robotics, through an exclusive arrangement with Pexagon Technology, is making available custom laser engraved flash drives and other items. The FIRST logo is prominently displayed with the Apple Pi Robotics Team 2067 name.

iPhone cases are also a popular item. Get yours today!

Order your personalized item with the FIRST logo or other artwork as you choose!

Select your alliance – Pick your color Red or Blue.

Use Artwork # 153322 to get the FIRST logo. Put it on a Flash drive, phone case, or even an iPad cover!

Most items offer 2 lines of personalized text in addition to the logo, so add your name and team # or email address if you’d like.

REMEMBER: Enter Artwork # 153322. Promote FIRST while supporting Apple Pi Robotics

Optionally, you may download your own teams logo or artwork and personalize the reverse side as described above.

Apple Pi is continuing fund raising activities to defray the costs associated with the trip. Numerous car washes are planned over the next several weekends at Bishops Orchards “Little Red Barn”.

Alternatively, donations may be made by clicking on the PayPal button on this website’s home page. Apple Pi Robotics is a 501(3)(c) organization so your contribution is tax deductible.

The team is presently working on logistics and fundraising activities to support their planned trip to the championship at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis on April 25-28. The event will feature teams from around the U.S. and abroad.

A PayPal “donate” button is on the home page of this website if you wish to support our cause. Alternatively, checks may be made out to Apple Pi Robotics and sent to:
Diane van der Grinten
455 Great Hill Rd
Guilford, CT 06437

Apple Pi Robotics is a 501(3)(c) organization and all donations are tax deductible.