Weather Alert – Spooktacular at Moroso Performance Products postponed to SUNDAY.Oct. 22nd, 8am-1pm. See You There!

Spooktacular Cruise In, sponsored by Apple Pi Robotics returns to Moroso Performance Products on October 21st, 2023, Saturday 8am – 1pm. This fun event is Halloween themed with morning breakfast, hot coffee available until 11am, followed by burgers and dogs on the grill. Soft drinks and munchies available. Prizes for a number of Halloween flavored categories. Robots and DJ will provide additional entertainment. Be with us. $10 entry fee/car. $5/Walk-ins.

Open House for all interested students and parents. September 9th, 10am-Noon. Apple Pi is located at 29 Soundview Rd., Building 2, Unit 3 in Guilford, CT. We start training for the upcoming season in October so don’t delay!

If you cannot be at the open house event, then get signed up on the home page of this website. We will let you know when next sessions will be held.

Apple Pi Robotics hosts our annual “Spooktacular” Cruise-In at Moroso Performance Products in Guilford at 80 Carter Drive on October 23rd from 10am-3pm.

STEM Day is a one-day program run by Apple Pi Robotics designed to get kids ages 9-13 interested in STEM. Throughout the event, students will watch science demonstrations, do fun science experiments, and be introduced to robotics. Sign up and learn more about the event below!

Information:

Date: Saturday October 2nd

Time: 9-12:30

Ages: 9-13

Schedule:

Our founding sponsor, Bishop’s Orchards, is once again stepping in to assist Apple Pi. For the month of March customers of Bishop’s may “round-up” their bill as a donation to Apple Pi. Below is a posting by Keith Bishop explaining their long relationship with Apple Pi and the month long program.

Throw Back Thursday:

The STEM Life [Part 1]

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Keith Bishop

It’s March, and I’ve got Pi on my mind! From Pi Day (3/14) to the infinitesimal 3.14159156+, or Mom’s super delicious apple pie, I’m led back to my father Al Bishop, and his founding of the High School’s Apple Pi Robotics Team in 2006. March is when the annual competition schedule starts, closely coinciding with Pi Day. I’m ready to support the team in a new way, in memory of Dad, and invite you to help our youth and STEM education too!

Let’s cut to the core. I was fascinated at 10 when Gemini IV astronaut Edward White made the first U.S. spacewalk. Fast forward 50 years. With inspiration from his grandson Seth’s robotics competitions in New Hampshire, 4th generation Al Bishop was the catalyst to form the first ever robotics program in Guilford. The team competes annually in the International FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Program Competitions with the help of key local sponsors like Page Hardware and Bishop’s Orchards among others.

As program founder Dean Kamen said “FIRST is more than robots. The robots are a vehicle for students to learn life skills. Kids often come in not knowing what to expect – of the program nor of themselves.” The end result is new passion in our youth– for a multitude of aspects they are immersed into by the team’s activities. Apple Pi has become known for its dedication to youth education, cruise nights, and community service. This cycle is boundless. Community service has included Rabies Clinics, Chick Days, robot demos for adults and children, putting on elementary school workshops, building planters for Guilford Senior Housing and fundraising for Parkinson’s disease medical research. This all supports the primary focus of heightening local awareness for the wonder and potential of STEM.

Agriculture and robots are typically not associated with one another. However, as a 4-H team, Apple Pi has partnered with the agricultural community to spread STEM to new groups of people and maximize the team’s impact. As I like to put it: “There is an incredible wealth of science and math behind everything we do in agriculture, yet many farmers do it without fully recognizing it as STEM in applied forms they do everyday.” The innovations in agriculture have been amazing in the last several decades, using digital technology, GPS mapping and guidance, nutrient analysis, drip irrigation, vertical farming, biodegradable products, CRISPR/Cas Genome precision plant breeding, solar energy, precision hydraulics, drones and highly refined harvest equipment. These all are important as the US is a leader in improved yields, requiring less labor on fewer acres. Analyzing the pros and cons through STEM research is a critical component as we balance human needs and our natural resources.

From my view on the ‘tractor seat’, immersed in a growing agricultural operation for 45 years and serving 22 of those on our local Board of Education, the success in the Apple Pi Robotics Team lies in its graduates and the inspiring moments that assisted them in further education, scholarship awards and careers related to STEM and service to others. From the Rookie team earning a 2007 National Competition berth in Atlanta, Georgia their first year, to the prestigious “Chairman’s Award” in 2014 (and multiple berths at the National Competitions) the team has demonstrated teamwork, spirit and dedication. The eight sub-teams work under the captains and mentors to bring it all together.

Leaning on my father’s and my farming roots, I’ve gleaned (thank you) from numerous sources to compile this tribute to the team members, captains and mentors to help you join my family in helping to fund the program that inspires and grows STEM experiences in our community. Watch for my next blog on the Ides of March, when my Dad would have turned 90, and a day after “Pi Day” March 14th, when I share further insights on his career and dedication to family and the community.

Pi for now,
Keith B. Bishop

To Our Potential New Members,

Apple Pi Robotics will start its 15th season in 2022. We invite you to consider being part of our organization and a part of the larger body, FIRST Robotics. Signing up does not commit you to anything at this time but does provide us with the necessary contact information to share additional details as the school year progresses. If you would more information before signing up, our email address is – applepirobotics4H@gmail.com

At Apple Pi we believe that we have influenced the lives and directions of many Guilford students as they try to figure out what they will be doing for the rest of their lives. STEM centric routes provide many interesting and rewarding avenues and for many students this will become their chosen path. To hear what some former Apple Pi team members have said about how their experience with us has influenced their lives go here.  

Sign Up Now!

Over the course of the last few months Guilford’s own “Apple Pi Robotics” FIRST Robotics team of high school aged students from the shoreline, competed in Parametric Technology Corporation’s (PTC) “Robots To The Rescue” competition.

The ongoing impact of the pandemic presents significant and unprecedented challenges for all, including our community.

Highlights from our recent competition at Woodstock Academy. Seeded 8th out of 39 teams. Lost in quarter finals. https://youtu.be/CWBign6zswA

Apple Pi Robotics hosts our annual “Spooktacular” Cruise-In at Moroso Performance Products in Guilford on October 26th from 10am-3pm.

Cruise Night scheduled for this afternoon is cancelled due to bad weather forecast.

Apple Pi Robotics has added a new Cruise Night to its’ summer schedule. The new line up includes June 20, June 27, July 11, July 18, August 1 and August 15, 5pm until dusk.

Cruise Night scheduled for this afternoon is cancelled due to bad weather forecast.

Cruise Nights sponsored by Apple Pi Robotics. 5PM – 8PM (dusk) June 20, June 27, July 18, August 1 and August 15.

First Selectman Matt Hoey visited with the Apple Pi Robotics team today on 3/14 (Also known as Pi Day).

20 alumni returned to help celebrate the Holidays with Apple Pi team members and mentors on December 20th.

Former Guilford High student, now NASA engineer, Valerie Scott Kristoff will be on hand on to present various aspects of the NASA/Mars exploration program.

Due to the rainy forecast, Apple Pi Robotics will reschedule Spooktacular to the rain date of October 21st, from 10am-3pm. Spooktacular Cruise In will take place at Moroso Performance Products in Guilford.

FIRST Announces Landmark 2019 Season Theme Celebrating Space Innovation

Cruise Nights sponsored by Apple Pi Robotics. 5PM – 8PM (dusk) June 21, July 5, July 19, August 2 and August 16.

Apple Pi Robotics alumni Liam Grace-Flood has been on a world wide mission

Apple Pi Robotics will host a Spooktacular Cruise In at Moroso Performance Products in Guilford on October 21st from 10am-3pm.

Cruise Nights sponsored by Apple Pi Robotics. 5PM – 8PM (dusk) June 22, July 6, July 20, August 3 and August 17.

For a third year Apple Pi Robotics in conjunction with founder, Al Bishop, raised funds for the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (IND).

Apple Pi Robotics team collected food for the Guilford Food Bank during the summer.

Apple Pi Robotics will host a Spooktacular Cruise In at Moroso Performance Products in Guilford on October 15th.

Apple Pi Robotics hosted the Girls in STEM program jointly with Shoreline Girls United and sponsored by the Guilford Public Library on June 28th.

Cruise Nights sponsored by Apple Pi Robotics. 5PM – 8PM (dusk) June 23, July 7, July 21, August 4 and August 18.

Apple Pi Robotics has won the Rockwell Automation “Innovation in Control” Award at the Rhode Island District competition in the 2016 season.

Apple Pi Robotics is sponsoring a book drive for the New Haven Book Bank during its June 25, July 9, July 23, August 6 and August 20 Cruise Nights.

Apple Pi Robotics will host the movie “Ender’s Game” at the Guilford Library on Friday, April 17th from 2:30 – 5pm.

The #1 seeded alliance of Apple Pi (2067), Mechanical Mayhem (1519) and the Cyber Knights (195) have won the New England District Regional for 2015.

Sam Westgard, Sean Hackett and Cory Lynch recently won the nationwide Mission: Physics contest

Apple Pi Robotics newly published video revisits the presentation of Valerie Scott, NASA scientist and Guilford H.S. alumna, who met with Apple Pi students and mentors 4 days prior to the blast off of the most recent NASA Mars Rover “Curiosity”. “Curiosity” has been exploring the surface of Mars since its landing in August of 2012.

You can find the video of the presentation here.
An update of the Curiosity Mission, direct from NASA, can be found here.

Apple Pi Robotics will host the second annual “Spooktacular” Cruise In at Moroso Performance Products in Guilford on October 26th.

Apple Pi will once again host “Cruise Nights” at Bishop’s Orchards “Little Red Barn” 5PM – 8PM (dusk) June 26, July 10, July 24, August 7 and August 21.

Following the district Chairman’s Award win, Apple Pi finished with the New England Regional award

At the Hartford District Competition held on March 29-30, Apple Pi Robotics received the prestigious Chairman’s Award.

Apple Pi Robotics received a generous contribution of aluminum materials from Page Hardware and Spectrum HHI

Apple Pi Robotics, team 2067, continues to test subsystems for its robot entry for this years FRC challenge Aerial Assist.

Apple Pi Robotics announces availability of swerve drive design data (Labview code/SolidWorks CAD drawings)

Apple Pi Robotics has entered the Rockwell Automation “Engineering Our Future” video contest. This contest features a $5,000 grant to first place winner,

Apple Pi Robotics will host a Spooktacular Cruise In at Moroso Performance Products in Guilford on October 27th.

Apple Pi Robotics is looking to attract a group of motivated freshman to join our team for the upcoming season. We are a group of approximately 30 students and 10 mentors that will build a robot for the 2014 competition season.

Final Cruise Night of the 2013 season sponsored by Apple Pi Robotics. 5PM – 8PM (dusk) August 22nd.

Apple Pi Robotics presented the Ben Alter Memorial Scholarship to Cameron Goss and Virginia Gresham.

Cruise Nights sponsored by Apple Pi Robotics. 5PM – 8PM (dusk) June 27, July 18, August 1 and August 15.

Hope you are all coming to the picnic! Bishop’s Pick Your Own Field
526 New England Road Guilford

Recent articles about Apple Pi Robotics in the Guilford Courier

Apple Pi Robotics will host a rabies prevention clinic on Saturday, May 18th at Bishop Orchards “Little Red Barn”. Cats and Dogs are welcome. Fee is $30 cash.

FIRST Team 2067, Apple Pi Robotics, competed this weekend in the Connecticut Regional at the Hartford Convention Center. What an exhilarating event! On Friday, we honed in on our shooting skills, making the best of what we had learned from Thursday’s practice rounds and the WPI Regional to improve our game.

10 Connecticut teams met at Saucier Stadium, home of Southington’s CyberKnights, to scrimmage on Saturday, March 24th.

FIRST Team 2067, Apple Pi, made a return appearance at the WPI Regional in Massachusetts with our beloved robot “Zippy” on March 7-9.

Apple Pi lets you take a look at this year’s entry for the FIRST FRC Season.

Weekly Update #1

Kickoff 2013 is upon us – The game has been exposed and it is an Ultimate Frisbee challenge that includes robots attempting to climb a pyramid in the finale.

14th Annual Bash @ the Beach

The Blue Alliance consisting of Apple Pi Robotics, along with long time partner team 558 (RoboSquad) and team 230 (the Gaelhawks), cruised through the quarter finals and semi finals